Two Workers Rescued Alive From Nepal Hydropower Tunnel Nine Days After Floods
- Rescuers in Nepal pulled two workers alive from a hydropower tunnel on Sept.
- Emergency teams located the two men after hearing voices from inside the tunnel on the morning of Sept.
- The devastating floods and mudslides that swept through Nepal on Aug.
Rescuers in Nepal pulled two workers alive from a hydropower tunnel on Sept. 4, nine days after catastrophic floods struck the region, according to official reports and local lawmakers. The survivors, identified as a mechanical foreman and a mechanical supervisor, were found inside a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A construction site along the Trishuli River and flown in stable condition to a hospital in Kathmandu.
Rescue Operations at Trishuli 3A
Emergency teams located the two men after hearing voices from inside the tunnel on the morning of Sept. 4, according to Nepalese lawmaker Shri Ram Neupane. Army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet confirmed the first rescue, while Neupane provided updates regarding the second worker. Local television broadcasts featured footage of the first rescued worker covered in mud while being carried from the disaster site on a rescuer’s shoulder. Officials present at the site stated that one of the survivors reported additional people remain alive inside the structure, prompting search teams to press forward with the operation. Amir Maharjan, the brother of one of the rescued men, described the family’s reaction to the Associated Press, stating that they were grateful and heading to the hospital. Nepal’s Communication Minister Bikram Timilsina expressed optimism on his social media page, writing that authorities are waiting to rescue more people.
https://x.com/NepaliArmyHQ/status/2095736319989453201
Scale of the Disaster and Missing Workers
The devastating floods and mudslides that swept through Nepal on Aug. 26 were likely triggered by a glacier collapse, according to official reports. The country’s disaster management agency reported that at least 1,259 people died in the disaster, with over 5,000 individuals still missing. Across the border in Tibet, Chinese authorities stated late Wednesday that 21 people were killed and 541 remained missing. The Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal reported that at least 557 workers are missing from the Trishuli 3A project alone, with approximately 115 believed trapped inside the main tunnel. Across 12 different hydropower projects in Nepal, local authorities estimate that roughly 900 workers are missing, with about 500 presumed trapped inside underground tunnels as search and rescue efforts continue.
