Nine days underground – Two workers pulled ALIVE from Nepal hydropower tunnel after devastating flash floods

Two Workers Rescued Alive

Two workers have been pulled alive from a hydropower tunnel in central Nepal, nine days after devastating flash floods tore through the Trishuli river corridor.

Footage released on Friday shows medical personnel attending to mechanical foreman Sanjay Sah after his rescue, while soldiers carry mechanical supervisor Kabir Maharjan away on a stretcher.

The pair were trapped inside the Upper Trishuli 3A Hydropower Station during the August 26 disaster. Rescue teams later heard human voices from deep inside the tunnel, raising hopes that more survivors could still be alive.

The 60 MW Upper Trishuli 3A run-of-river hydropower project spans Nepal’s Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts. By Thursday, 93 rescuers were working at the site, backed by a Chinese tunnel rescue team and specialist equipment.

Search Continues For Survivors

Crews are continuing to search the tunnel, with officials saying others could still be alive inside.

The August 26 disaster sent ice, rock, mud and floodwater surging through the Trishuli valley, smashing into several hydropower sites. Around 900 workers are reported missing across 12 projects, with roughly 500 believed to be trapped in tunnels.

Flood Disaster Toll Rises

Nepalese authorities said 1,252 bodies had been recovered, 4,216 people remained missing and 11,993 had been rescued as of Thursday.

The disaster also struck across the border in China, where authorities said 21 people had been confirmed dead and 541 remained missing at Gyirong Port.