Nepal Rescues Hundreds After Glacial Collapse Buries Hydropower Tunnels

Deadly flash floods triggered by a glacial collapse near the Tibet border have left at least 1,204 people dead and over 4,200 missing across Nepal. The Nepal Electricity Authority is currently coordinating a massive rescue operation to locate hundreds of workers trapped in hydropower tunnels, specifically at the Rasuwagadhi and Upper Trishuli 3A facilities. While 279 people have been rescued from these projects, 639 remain missing.

At the Rasuwagadhi plant, officials believe 46 people are trapped in a room-like structure. Amhsu Kiran Shahi, a board member of the electricity authority, expressed confidence that these workers may be alive due to available food and water. However, Phanindra Paudel of the National Emergency Operation Centre warned that the hope of finding survivors is decreasing. The Nepal Army is prioritizing search efforts across 19 tunnels blocked by an estimated 2.2 million tonnes of mud and debris.

To penetrate the debris, Nepal is utilizing technology and assistance from India, China, South Korea, and Australia. In response to the crisis, a team of Delhi-NCR rat miners, who previously rescued 41 workers from India's Silkyara tunnel in 2023, has offered their manual excavation expertise. Volunteer coordinator Anand Kansal contacted the Indian Ambassador to Nepal to facilitate the team's deployment to assist the trapped workers.