In the wake of devastating flash floods, rescue operations are intensively underway in Nepal to reach over 900 hydropower workers feared trapped within underground tunnels across multiple power projects. The death toll in Nepal has surged to approximately 940, with additional casualties reported in Tibet. Meanwhile, thousands remain missing on both sides of the border. Among those unaccounted for, around 500 workers are believed to be in tunnels at hydropower sites in the heavily impacted Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts. Experts caution that diminishing oxygen levels inside these tunnels are significantly reducing the likelihood of finding survivors, as workers who escaped the flooding recounted seeing colleagues trapped when the disaster occurred.
Efforts to reach the trapped workers face numerous challenges, including destroyed infrastructure, unpredictable flooding, and difficult terrain. These conditions have necessitated the use of helicopters, with support from neighboring countries providing temporary bridge equipment to help restore access. Enormous amounts of debris have blocked tunnels, and blasting operations have been employed at some sites to facilitate rescue efforts. The catastrophe has also disrupted a substantial portion of Nepal’s power generation capacity, exacerbating the crisis.
Inside the tunnels, rescuers are confronting severe conditions, with mud reaching up to chest height in certain areas and visibility significantly reduced. Despite these grim circumstances, there remains cautious optimism that some workers might have reached safe zones within the tunnel systems, potentially allowing for survival. The broader disaster has impacted tens of thousands, obliterating entire communities and prompting renewed concerns about the effects of climate change on glacial and mountainous regions. Nepal’s government has labeled the flooding as an unprecedented natural disaster, mobilizing tens of thousands of security personnel and volunteers in response.
International aid has been forthcoming, with specialized rescue teams, financial support, and technical assistance from neighboring countries highlighting the magnitude of the crisis. Amid the devastation, rescuers celebrated a moment of hope when they successfully extracted a young child alive from the mud. Concerns have also arisen regarding the sharing of glacial and water-level data between neighboring nations, with officials worried that lapses in information exchange could hinder future disaster preparedness efforts in the region.