ISLAMABAD – A construction accident at Tarbela Dam 5th Extension Hydropower Project (T-5) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa triggered emergency after a weakened rock section collapsed during excavation, allowing water from the intake pit to flood a connecting tunnel and the under-construction powerhouse, WAPDA confirmed.
Several posts surfaced online, as Indian media reported Pakistan’s Tarbela Dam suffered catastrophic tunnel collapse but Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) clarified that the incident involved localized rockfall at an under-construction hydropower project rather than the destruction of the dam’s main tunnel.
It started as construction-site accident quickly became the subject of fake claims saying that Tunnel No. 5 had collapsed and that one of Pakistan’s most important energy installations had suffered extensive structural damage. WAPDA’s official clarification has contradicted the central allegations, confirming that the main tunnel remained intact and that no damage had been reported to the project’s major infrastructure.
The incident occurred during excavation of the second bench of a connecting tunnel at the T-5 expansion project. A weakened section of rock suddenly collapsed, allowing water from the intake pit to flow into the connecting tunnel and the under-construction powerhouse area.
The unexpected water inflow prompted an immediate emergency response, forcing authorities to suspend construction activities and evacuate workers from the affected location. Despite the seriousness of the situation, WAPDA confirmed that all workers were safely evacuated and no loss of life was reported.
The authority further explained that water had been completely drained from the intake pit, while dewatering operations were initiated to remove the remaining water from the under-construction powerhouse. Officials also confirmed that no additional water was entering the downstream construction areas.
Misleading claims circulating online portrayed rockfall as catastrophic failure of Tarbela Dam’s main infrastructure. Some reports by Indian media suggested that Tunnel No. 5 had completely collapsed, triggering speculation about widespread destruction at the strategically important hydropower facility.
WAPDA categorically rejected this version of events, clarifying that the main Tunnel No. 5 had not collapsed and that the powerhouse, tailrace culvert and switchyard had not sustained any reported damage. The authority clarified that the accident was confined to the connecting tunnel and intake area of the under-construction fifth extension project. It did not involve the collapse of Tarbela Dam’s main structure or a completed operational tunnel.
The fact-check establishes that while the rockfall and subsequent water inflow were genuine, claims of the main tunnel’s destruction were false according to WAPDA’s account. Similarly, suggestions of massive casualties or extensive damage to the dam’s principal structures were not supported by the information released by the authority.
Nevertheless, the exact origin of the misleading narrative and the involvement of specific Indian media outlets have not been independently established. The available evidence contradicts the tunnel-collapse allegation but does not, by itself, prove that the claims formed part of a coordinated propaganda campaign.
Meanwhile, relevant authorities and engineering teams are continuing to assess the affected construction area to determine whether remedial work or additional safety measures will be required before activities resume.
Given Tarbela Dam’s strategic importance to Pakistan’s water management and power generation systems, misleading reports about its structural safety can create public concern and uncertainty.
WAPDA clarifies Tarbela T5 incident, says main tunnel remains undamaged
