Rescuers Race into Nepal Tunnels After Two Survivors Reach Safety

Sun Sep 06 2026 00:33:03 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Three days after devastating flash floods, Nepal rescuers pry open hydropower tunnels to find dozens trapped, sparking hope amid overwhelming loss.

Nine days after a catastrophic flash flood on the Nepal‑Tibet border, two workers were pulled alive from the Trishuli 3A tunnel, fueling optimism for the many others believed trapped underground. A third body was found, raising the death toll to 1,311 in Nepal and 31 in Tibet, with thousands still missing. Rescue teams are battling mud, rockfall, and communication barriers to rescue an estimated 150 people in seven tunnels, while scientists trace the disaster to a glacial collapse and climate change. Despite limited data from China, Nepal’s authorities continue to call for heightened vigilance as heavy rainfall threatens the region.

Rescuers Race into Nepal Tunnels After Two Survivors Reach Safety

Yesterday, rescuers announced that two workers had been rescued alive from a collapsed hydropower tunnel, raising hopes within a region still reeling from a flash flood that devastated Himalayan villages. In the nearby Trishuli 3A tunnel, Sanjaya Shah and Kabir Maharjan were found with injuries from years of crawling inside a water‑logged cavity. Both were taken to the Army Hospital in Kathmandu for treatment.

The flood, which struck on 26 August, was attributed to a sudden glacial collapse and worsened by climate‑driven thawing. A massive wall of water and debris swept downstream, obliterating entire villages and swamp‑tinged valleys. The disaster has left 1,311 dead and 5,330 still missing in Nepal, with around 34 foreign citizens among the casualties.

Rescue teams are currently operating in seven primary hydropower tunnels and 19 other locations, pushing against mud, rockfall, and poor communication to reach those believed trapped. Engineers are pumping air into the tunnels, while bulldozers attempt to clear debris and create access points. A field officer reported that digging access holes has become increasingly difficult due to sand and mud that cover tunnel entrances.

According to Colonel Jhabindra Reshmi of Nepali Rescue Forces, over 400 Nepalis and 270 foreign citizens have already been saved in the aftermath. The team’s grueling work, including manual clearing and compressed‑air pumping, has provided a glimmer for families awaiting news of their loved ones.

Scientists from the Asian Mountain Academic Alliance and the Stimson Centre emphasize that early‑warning systems could have mitigated the disaster had they been in place. They note that the glacier near the Langtang‑Lirung peak was showing signs of instability in the days before the collapse.

Meanwhile, Chinese authorities continue to focus on rescue efforts for the living, with limited public disclosure on casualty figures. Outside China, international activists and journalists have reported heavy censorship of footage from the Brazilian border.