# Rock mass collapse floods Tarbela Dam extension works

> Water enters Tarbela Dam 5th Extension tunnel after rock fall during excavation.
- Title: Rock mass collapse floods Tarbela Dam extension works
- Summary: Water enters Tarbela Dam 5th Extension tunnel after rock fall during excavation.
- Keywords: floods, rock mass collapse, tarbela dam, wapda, t-5 project, hydropower, indus river, dewatering, construction delay, cost escalation, pakistan, Daily Times
- Source: Daily Times — https://dailytimes.com.pk/1579085/rock-mass-collapse-floods-tarbela-dam-extension-works
- Author: Sajid Salamat
- Published: 2026-11-10T04:51:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: floods, rock mass collapse, tarbela dam, wapda, t-5 project, hydropower, indus river, dewatering, construction delay, cost escalation, pakistan, news
## Rock mass collapse at Tarbela Dam
Water entered a tunnel and the powerhouse of Tarbela Dam 5th Extension Hydropower Project construction site after a weak section of rock fell during excavation on Monday.
## Workers evacuated safely
All workers were immediately evacuated following water inflow incident after rock fell during excavation of the second bench of the connecting tunnel.
## Water drainage progress
Water had been completely drained from the intake pit and dewatering of the under-construction power house had begun with no further water entering downstream sites.
## WAPDA confirms no structural damage
WAPDA spokesperson stated the project’s main tunnel, under-construction power house, tail race culvert, and switchyard suffered no damage despite reports of collapse.
## Protective embankment breach
A part of the protective embankment at the T5 project intake broke after a girder fell, submerging one local worker who was pulled out by locals.
## Work suspended indefinitely
Work at the Tarbela T5 project in Haripur had been suspended for an indefinite period after the incident.
## Downstream discharge notification
WAPDA issued a notification that discharges downstream of Tarbela Dam in the Indus River will exceed 150,000 cusecs round the clock.
## Project cost and timeline impact
The collapse contributed to a two-year delay and more than 285 per cent cost escalation from Rs82 billion to Rs317bn, pushing completion from June 2026 to end of June 2028.
## Key takeaway

A rock mass collapse at Tarbela Dam 5th Extension project flooded construction sites, evacuating workers and delaying completion by two years with cost escalation to Rs317bn.