Rescuers in Nepal have pulled two workers alive from a hydropower tunnel, nine days after catastrophic floods devastated communities across the country and raised fears for hundreds of workers trapped at construction sites.
The two men were rescued today from a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A hydropower construction site, offering a rare breakthrough in an increasingly desperate search for workers missing since the floods struck. The rescue came after rescuers heard voices from inside the tunnel earlier this morning.
The sounds confirmed that people were still alive underground and helped emergency teams determine where to focus their efforts, according to Nepalese lawmaker Shri Ram Neupane. Army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet later confirmed the rescue of the first worker, while Neupane announced the rescue of the second man in a post on Facebook.
Officials identified the survivors as a mechanical foreman and a mechanical supervisor. Both men were reported to be in stable condition following their rescue and were flown to a hospital in the capital, Kathmandu, for medical attention.
The rescue has raised hopes that other workers trapped inside tunnels at the hydropower project could also be reached alive. Basnet said one of the rescued workers told emergency personnel that more people were still alive inside the tunnel.
The information has provided rescuers with a renewed sense of urgency as teams continue efforts to locate and reach those believed to remain underground. The Trishuli 3A project has been among the hardest-hit hydropower sites following the floods.
According to the Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal, at least 557 workers associated with the project are missing, with approximately 115 believed to be trapped inside the tunnel. The discovery of survivors after more than a week underground has increased the possibility that some of the missing workers may have endured the disaster and remained alive despite the difficult conditions.
Rescue operations have been complicated by the scale of the destruction caused by the floods, which swept away villages, damaged infrastructure and devastated towns in several parts of Nepal. The disaster has also affected workers at other hydropower projects across the country.
Local authorities estimate that about 900 workers are missing from 12 hydropower projects, while roughly 500 are believed to be trapped inside tunnels. The scale of the missing persons has placed considerable pressure on rescue teams as they attempt to search damaged facilities and reach workers who may be trapped underground.
The floods, which struck on August 26, have been linked to a likely glacier collapse and caused widespread destruction across the region. Nepal’s disaster management agency says at least 1,259 people have been killed, while more than 5,000 remain missing.
The disaster has also affected neighbouring Tibet, where Chinese authorities said late Wednesday that 21 people had been killed and 541 were missing on the Chinese side of the border. Against this backdrop, the rescue of the two workers from the Trishuli 3A tunnel has provided a significant moment of hope for families still waiting for news of missing relatives.
Minister Hopeful Of More Rescues
Nepal’s Communication Minister Bikram Timilsina said that authorities remained hopeful that the successful rescue of the two workers would be followed by the recovery of more people from the affected hydropower sites. “We are waiting for the rescue of more and more people,” Timilsina wrote on his Facebook page.
His comments came as rescue teams continued their search for workers believed to be trapped in tunnels across several hydropower projects. The survival of the two Trishuli 3A workers after nine days underground has demonstrated that people may still be alive in some of the areas where rescue operations are continuing.
Their account that other workers remain inside the tunnel is expected to guide ongoing efforts to locate and reach them. The rescue has therefore provided a measure of hope for families of those still missing amid the continuing uncertainty.
Emergency teams face the challenge of reaching hundreds of workers believed to be trapped, while authorities continue to assess the wider impact of the floods. The focus now remains on extending the search and rescue operation, with officials hoping that the breakthrough at Trishuli 3A will lead to further survivors being found.
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