In Nepal, rescue teams are racing against time to reach over 900 hydropower workers trapped in underground tunnels following devastating flash floods that have claimed nearly 940 lives. The disaster, which struck last week, has left thousands missing in Nepal and across the border in Tibet. The rescue mission is focused on the Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts, where around 500 workers are believed to be trapped in tunnels at hydropower project sites. The situation is dire as experts warn that decreasing oxygen levels inside the tunnels are making the chances of finding survivors increasingly slim. Reports from workers who escaped the flooding indicate that many colleagues were unable to get out in time.
Efforts to rescue the trapped workers have been hindered by a range of challenges, including destroyed bridges, unpredictable river flooding, and difficult terrain. This has necessitated a heavy reliance on helicopters, while neighboring countries have sent temporary bridge equipment to aid in restoring access. The operation is further complicated by massive debris accumulation, which has blocked tunnels, prompting rescue teams to use blasting operations at some sites. The floods have also severely impacted Nepal’s power generation capacity, adding to the crisis.
Inside the tunnels, rescuers are confronting harrowing conditions with mud reaching chest height and visibility extremely limited. Despite these grim circumstances, some teams hold onto cautious hope that certain safe zones within the tunnels may have enabled some workers to survive. The catastrophic flooding has affected tens of thousands of people, wiping out entire communities and highlighting concerns about the impact of climate change on glacial and mountainous regions. Nepal’s leadership has characterized the flooding as an unprecedented natural disaster, with a massive response effort involving tens of thousands of security personnel and volunteers.
International support has been robust, with specialized rescue teams, financial aid, and technical assistance arriving from neighboring countries, underscoring the magnitude of the crisis. Amid the devastation, rescuers reported a moment of hope when they successfully pulled a young child alive from the mud. However, the disaster has also raised concerns about the exchange of glacier and water-level data between neighboring countries. Some officials worry that shortcomings in information-sharing could impede future disaster preparedness efforts in the region.