Rock collapse sends water into work areas at Tarbela Dam
No deaths were reported, and the authority said the main tunnel, power house and switchyard were not damaged.
A rock mass collapsed at the Tarbela Dam 5th Extension Project construction site on Monday, the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) said.
The collapse sent water into nearby work areas, and authorities declared an emergency, suspended construction and moved workers to safer ground.
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Wapda said the rock fell during excavation of the 2nd Bench Connecting Tunnel, allowing water from the Intake Pit to enter the tunnel and the under-construction power house area.
"All workers were immediately evacuated safely," the statement said, adding that the Intake Pit had been fully drained and no further water was flowing into downstream work sites.
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The authority said dewatering work at the power house had begun, and senior Wapda officers, the project engineer and the contractor were assessing the damage and the challenges ahead.
Wapda also dismissed reports circulating about the collapse of the T-5 tunnel, saying the main tunnel, power house, tailrace culvert and switchyard had not been damaged.
It said there were no injuries or deaths among the workforce.
Haripur Deputy Commissioner Waseem Ahmed said authorities were still assessing whether the tunnel, power house, and other structures had sustained any damage, citing T-5 project officials.
A senior district administration official said there was no threat of flooding downstream of Tarbela at present.
Swabi Deputy Commissioner Nasarullah Khan said additional water had been released from the dam for "unavoidable" reasons, which would raise the flow and level of the Indus River.
He urged residents to avoid bathing, swimming and boating in the river and to follow public safety notices.
Khan also told residents not to believe rumours and to check the official page for accurate information.
The incident follows a July finding by a government-constituted inquiry committee, which held the contractor, the consultant and Wapda responsible for an earlier cofferdam collapse at the project.
The committee cited unauthorized design changes made after contract signing as one of the main reasons.
That earlier collapse contributed to a delay of at least two years and a cost increase of more than 285 percent, with the project's cost rising from Rs82 billion to Rs317 billion.
The project was scheduled for completion by the end of June 2028, instead of 2026, before Monday's incident.
The 1,530MW fifth extension is being financed by the World Bank, which is providing $390 million, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which is providing $300 million.
Once completed, Tarbela's total installed capacity will rise from 4,888MW to 6,418MW.