Two Workers Rescued from Nepal Hydropower Tunnel Nine Days After Deadly Floods

KATHMANDU — Rescue teams in Nepal extracted two workers from the Trishuli 3A hydropower tunnel on Friday, marking a glimmer of hope in an ongoing operation to reach others believed to be trapped inside, officials reported.

The two men, identified as a mechanical foreman and a mechanical supervisor, were rescued nine days after severe floods—likely triggered by a glacier collapse—devastated towns and swept away villages across Nepal on August 26. Army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet confirmed the first rescue, while Nepalese lawmaker Shri Ram Neupane posted about the second on Facebook shortly thereafter.

Rescuers detected voices inside the tunnel early Friday morning, which allowed them to pinpoint the location of the survivors. Local television broadcasts showed images of the first man, covered in mud, being carried from the site by rescuers. Both survivors were in stable condition and transported by air to a hospital in Kathmandu.

Amir Maharjan, brother of rescued worker Kabir Maharjan, expressed overwhelming emotion. “I can’t explain what we are feeling at the moment. We are just grateful to god,” he told The Associated Press, adding that his family was en route to the hospital.

Kabir’s wife, Hirashova, told BBC News that the family had not been able to eat or drink properly for 10 days due to fear and anxiety. “Now we are all happy. We are even crying,” she said.

Despite the successful rescue of two men, the scale of the tragedy remains daunting. According to the Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal, at least 557 workers are missing from the Trishuli 3A project, with approximately 115 thought to be trapped in the main tunnel alone.

Officials at the site believe other individuals may still be alive beneath the debris. Nepal’s Communication Minister Bikram Timilsina stated on Facebook that authorities remain hopeful for additional rescues: “We are waiting for the rescue of more and more people.”

The death toll from the August 26 floods has reached at least 1,259, with over 5,000 people still missing, according to Nepal’s disaster management agency. On the Tibetan side of the border, China reported 21 deaths and 541 missing persons as of late Wednesday.

Local authorities indicate that roughly 900 workers are missing from 12 different hydropower projects across Nepal, with about 500 believed to be trapped within tunnel systems.