The incident involved a reservoir failure at a tunnel site managed by the subcontractor Sino Hydro. Tajikistan’s State Service for the Supervision of Industrial and Mining Safety maintains that the spill caused no injuries, asserting that all affected personnel returned to work after receiving minor medical attention. However, footage obtained by RFE/RL’s Radio Ozodi contradicts this narrative, suggesting that the force of the water pushed rubble into the tunnel and injured at least five workers.

This discrepancy highlights persistent transparency issues surrounding the Rogun project, which has already seen eight recorded accidents throughout 2025. The Tajik government has not disclosed specific details regarding these prior incidents, despite national records indicating that industrial accidents across the country claimed 40 lives this year. As the government continues to seek nearly $6 billion in additional financing to complete the 335-meter structure, the safety of the site remains a focal point for international scrutiny.