Two people have been pulled out alive from a hydropower tunnel in Nepal, nine days after deadly flash floods buried the site in deep mud and left them trapped.
The workers were rescued during an operation at the Trishuli 3A tunnel, a hydropower project in one of the areas hardest hit by last week’s floods, according to army spokesperson Brig Gen Raja Ram Basnet.
Sanjay Shah, a foreman, was the first to be rescued and was taken to the army barracks in Trishuli. Another person, identified as Kabir Maharjan, a project supervisor, was also pulled from the tunnel. They were found 170 metres (558ft) inside the tunnel, Basnet said.
A senior police official confirmed that a body had also been found during the rescue operation, but it has not yet been identified. By Friday afternoon, police said they had stopped searching because there were no more signs of life.
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Nepal’s army released images of Shah being pulled from the small, dark entrance of a tunnel. He came out covered in mud but conscious, and was carried from the site on a rescuer’s shoulder.
Speaking to army officials after his rescue, Shah’s first question was: “What day is it?”
Shah said he had been in the tunnel’s control room when the flood hit, along with about 40 to 45 others. “Since I was in the control room, my responsibility was to save everyone’s lives,” he said. “After such an accident, I couldn’t just run away by myself. I had to save everyone.”
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A survivor is carried out after being rescued from inside the tunnel. Photograph: Nepal Army/Reuters
He said that after realizing there had been a major accident, he rushed through the tunnel telling people to run and save themselves. “In doing so, I lost time. In the end, I couldn’t get out myself,” he said.
To stay calm in the darkness of the tunnel, Shah said he spent his time chanting mantras. He said that while trapped, he had heard the voices of three or four others.
“We were communicating by shouting to each other from nearby. There could also be people inside the powerhouse. Some of them may not have been able to escape,” he said.
Satellite images showing before and after of Rasuwagadhi hydropower plant
Officials said the two men had been flown to a hospital in Kathmandu. Shah was reported to be stable, but Maharjan was in critical condition and had been moved to intensive care.
Hirashova Maharjan, Kabir’s wife, said he had been in shock at first and was not talking, but had since said “a few words.” She said he had an injury to his leg and was extremely jaundiced.
“He did not even recognize me initially. He only said: ‘Where am I? What happened to me?’ He did not say anything else,” she said. “He is better now. He said he wanted some water, so I gave him water. Then I asked him if he recognized me, and he said yes. He nodded his head.”
“We had almost lost hope,” she said, adding that when she saw the photos of him being pulled from the tunnel, “I was so happy that I cried.”
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Hirashova Maharjan, left, with a family member after visiting her husband in hospital in Kathmandu on Friday. Photograph: Arun Sankar/AFP/Getty Images
Most of the hydropower projects along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers were destroyed when a surge of water, debris, and mud rushed down the valley last week, triggered by the collapse of a melting glacier on the border between Nepal and China-controlled Tibet.
At least 1,287 people were killed in the floods, and more than 5,000 remain missing, according to Nepal’s disaster management agency.
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Rescue efforts have increasingly focused on the hydropower tunnels, where authorities believe workers may have survived for more than a week in air pockets. So far, more than 270 people have been rescued across several projects.Huge boulders and floodwaters had flooded the hydropower tunnels, blocking the entrances, and some were buried deep in mud. At the Upper Trishuli 3A facility, it took rescue workers nearly six days to locate the tunnels.
Speaking by phone from the rescue site, Amrit Thapa, deputy superintendent of the armed police force and part of the seven-person search and rescue team, said they had managed to crawl through the tunnel looking for survivors. They were joined by a team from the Nepal army.
“The team crawled through sections about 10 to 15 metres long and reached the main part,” said Thapa. “When we got to the final point, we found a body on the remaining upper level.”
Thapa added that “except for two sections, the entire tunnel was filled with debris. After checking everything, we didn’t hear any more voices. We also searched the whole powerhouse area, but so far, nothing else has been found.”
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An aerial view of damage in a village in Rasuwa district following the flash floods. Photograph: Narendra Shrestha/EPA
Army and specialist teams have been working around the clock to clear debris from the tunnel entrance. At least 550 workers are missing from the hydropower project along the Trishuli River, according to the Independent Power Producers’ Association of Nepal.
In total, local authorities estimate that about 900 workers are missing from 12 hydropower projects high in the Himalayas, with around 500 believed to be trapped in tunnels.
Rescue efforts have also focused on the Rasuwagadhi hydropower plant, where Nepali authorities said they were confident that 46 workers trapped in an underground chamber were still alive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs based on the event you described written in a natural clear and concise tone
General Questions
Q What exactly happened with the workers in the tunnel
A Two workers were trapped inside a hydroelectric tunnel after severe flooding and landslides hit the region near the NepalTibet border They were stuck for nine days before rescue teams were able to reach them and pull them out alive
Q Where did this rescue take place
A The incident occurred in a hydropower project tunnel in a mountainous area near the border between Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China
Q How did the workers survive for nine days
A They survived by finding a pocket of air inside the tunnel and having access to some drinking water They had no food for most of that time which is why their survival is considered miraculous
Q What caused the tunnel to flood
A Heavy monsoon rains caused flash floods and landslides in the mountains This sent a massive rush of water and mud into the tunnel entrance trapping the workers inside
Rescue and Safety Questions
Q How did rescue teams manage to reach the workers
A Rescuers used heavy machinery to dig through the debris and mud blocking the tunnel entrance They also used specialized equipment to pump out water and drill small holes to check on the workers and send in supplies like oxygen and food
Q How long did the rescue operation take
A The rescue operation lasted nine days with teams working around the clock to clear the debris
Q What condition were the workers in when they were found
A They were weak and dehydrated but conscious and able to communicate They were immediately given medical attention and taken to a hospital for a full checkup
Q Is it common for workers to be trapped in tunnels in this region
A Unfortunately yes The Himalayan region is prone to sudden and extreme weather Hydropower tunnels which are often built deep into mountains are vulnerable to flash floods and landslides making these kinds of incidents a known risk
Technical and Advanced Questions
Q What specific engineering challenges do these types of tunnels present during a rescue
