In Nepal, rescuers successfully saved two workers from a hydropower tunnel, providing hope for the rescue of approximately a dozen other individuals thought to be trapped following devastating floods that ravaged towns and villages nine days ago.
The two rescued workers, Sanjay Sah, a mechanical foreman, and Kabir Maharjan, a mechanical supervisor, were pulled out from the Trishuli 3A construction site, as reported by Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha’s office. Sah, recalling the incident, shared that despite the mountain collapsing above the power plant where he was stationed, he decided to assist others rather than flee.
Sah described the harrowing experience, stating that he was in the control room within the tunnel when the disaster struck. He emphasized his responsibility to save lives and expressed his determination not to abandon his colleagues in need. Nepalese lawmaker Shri Ram Neupane highlighted the second successful rescue on social media, following confirmation from army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet regarding the first worker’s extraction.
Basnet mentioned that one of the rescued workers indicated the presence of more survivors inside the tunnel. The discovery of voices within the tunnel early Friday aided rescuers in locating the two men. Local news channels broadcasted visuals of the first rescued worker covered in mud and being carried to safety. Notably, one of the survivors was in critical condition and both were airlifted to a hospital in Kathmandu.
The grim situation persists, with around 557 workers missing at the Trishuli 3A hydropower project and an estimated 115 possibly trapped in the tunnel, according to the Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal. Despite the challenges, officials, including Nepal’s Communication Minister Bikram Timilsina, remain optimistic about further rescue efforts.
The catastrophic floods on August 26 claimed the lives of at least 1,259 individuals, with over 5,000 still unaccounted for, as per the country’s disaster management agency. Correspondingly, China reported 31 fatalities and 531 missing persons on the Tibet side of the border. The ongoing rescue operations are critical, especially with nearly 900 workers missing from various hydropower projects in Nepal, with approximately 500 suspected to be trapped in tunnels, as per local authorities.