Nineteen National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPC) employees, who were trapped inside a powerhouse for hours on Sunday after a landslide blocked normal and emergency tunnels of Dhauliganga Power Project in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district, were safely evacuated by the evening, officials said.

The path leading to the normal and emergency tunnels of the 280 MW power project in the Ealagarh area near Dharchula here in the district was blocked due to a landslide caused by heavy rains.

Pithoragarh district magistrate Vinod Goswami said that a joint team of the district administration, State Disaster Response Force and Border Roads Organisation started rescue and relief operations. He said all the 19 officers and employees trapped inside have been evacuated and are safe.

Dhauliganga power station is close to Dhauliganga dam and the opening of the tunnels was hit by a landslide. The heavy rains and landslides have damaged the upper part of the tunnel. Reports said the damage is partial.

Earlier, deputy district magistrate Jitendra Verma said that JCB machines of the BRO and a haulage company were deployed to clear the debris.