Two workers, Sanjay Sah, 30, and Kabir Maharjan, 45, were rescued from a hydropower tunnel in Nepal nine days after devastating floods swept through the region on August 26th, leaving over 1,287 dead and more than 5,000 missing. The rescue, carried out at the Trishuli 3A hydropower plant in Rasuwa district, offers a glimmer of hope as rescuers continue to search for approximately 900 missing workers from a dozen hydropower projects, with around 500 believed trapped in tunnels. One of the rescued men reported to rescuers that other workers remain alive inside the tunnel. Authorities estimate the flooding has caused at least 387.5 billion Nepalese rupees ($2.5 billion) in damage to infrastructure and property.
Rescue efforts have been hampered by remote mountainous terrain, damaged roads, and challenging weather conditions. Australian rescue expert Arnold Dix, supporting the operation remotely, reported hearing a response from within the tunnel before the two men were brought out, saying rescuers called into the tunnel: "Don't worry, we are rescuing you." and received a response of “hunchha,” meaning yes or OK.
At least 557 workers are still missing from the Trishuli 3A project alone, with approximately 115 believed trapped in the main tunnel. In addition to the Nepal disaster, Chinese officials reported 21 deaths and 541 missing on the Tibet side of the border following a mudslide at a major land crossing, with the road to the site reopening Wednesday. The floods are believed to have been triggered by a high-altitude glacier collapse on the Nepal-China border. Communication Minister Bikram Timilsina stated officials “are waiting for the rescue of more and more people.”
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