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World News: Nepal Flood Crisis Deepens, Rescue Teams Race to Save Hundreds of Hydropower Workers Trapped in Tunnels

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Alam Ki Khabar | Bihar News | Patna News | Samastipur News | Nepal is battling a devastating flood and landslide disaster as rescue teams search for hundreds of missing hydropower workers trapped in tunnels amid heavy debris, damaged roads and rising rivers.

World Desk, New Delhi, August 30. Nepal is facing a massive humanitarian emergency after flash floods and landslides swept through parts of the Himalayan region, leaving hundreds dead and thousands missing. Rescue operations are continuing at full scale, with one of the most difficult missions focused on hydropower projects where hundreds of workers are feared trapped or remain unaccounted for.

The situation is particularly critical along the Trishuli corridor, where floodwaters and huge quantities of mud and debris have buried roads, bridges, project facilities and tunnel entrances. Officials and rescue teams are working against time to determine how many people remain underground and whether survivors can still be reached.

Recent official and media updates put the number of missing people in Nepal at around 2,500, while more than 900 hydropower workers connected to several projects have been reported missing or unaccounted for. The figures remain subject to change as authorities continue to verify information from individual project sites.

Rescue teams reach critical section of tunnel

One of the most urgent operations is underway at the Upper Trishuli-3A hydropower project. Rescue personnel have been working through layers of mud, rocks and debris to create an opening into the underground structure.

Teams have managed to reach the upper portion of the tunnel, where a small opening has been created. Rescuers have attempted to communicate with people believed to be inside, but no confirmed response has yet been received.

Instead of abandoning the operation, teams have started widening the passage and removing more debris. Heavy excavation equipment, drilling machinery and controlled blasting are being used wherever necessary to create a safe route into the tunnel.

Air and oxygen being sent underground

The possibility that people could still be alive inside the blocked tunnels has made oxygen supply one of the immediate priorities.

Rescue teams have begun sending air through a narrow passage into the underground area. Equipment has also been used to assess conditions inside the tunnel and determine whether a safe route can be established.

The lack of communication has made the operation particularly difficult. Rescuers do not yet have a clear picture of how far the trapped workers may be from the blocked entrance or what condition the underground sections are in.

Even so, the decision to continue supplying air reflects the hope that survivors may still be reached.

More than 900 hydropower workers unaccounted for

Nepal's hydropower sector has been hit particularly hard by the disaster. Information from the country's hydropower industry indicates that more than 900 people associated with several projects remain unaccounted for.

The exact number trapped inside tunnels is still unclear because several project locations have been cut off and communication systems have been damaged.

At some locations, workers have already been rescued, while other sites remain inaccessible because tunnel entrances and underground facilities are buried under massive amounts of mud.

At the Chilime hydropower project, for example, rescuers have faced major difficulties because the tunnel has been filled with mud and cannot be entered easily. Other projects along the Trishuli corridor have reported similar problems.

Roads destroyed, heavy equipment brought in by helicopter

One of the biggest obstacles to the rescue operation is the destruction of transport infrastructure.

Floodwaters have washed away or badly damaged roads and bridges leading to several hydropower sites. This has made it extremely difficult to move excavators, bulldozers and other heavy rescue machinery to the affected locations.

To overcome the problem, equipment has been dismantled into smaller components and transported by helicopter to areas where road access is no longer possible.

Once at the sites, the machines are being used to remove debris and search for entrances to buried tunnels.

Rain and rising rivers repeatedly disrupt rescue work

Rescuers are also facing the continuing threat of bad weather and rapidly changing river conditions.

Further rainfall has caused water levels in the Trishuli and other rivers to rise again, forcing teams to temporarily slow or suspend work in some locations.

Flooded excavation zones create an additional danger for rescuers because unstable debris can move suddenly and water can enter areas where teams are operating.

Despite these risks, security forces and specialist rescue personnel continue to work around the clock.

India sends specialist support to Nepal

India has also stepped up its assistance to Nepal following the disaster. Specialist teams, rescue personnel and relief supplies have been sent to help with the emergency response.

An Indian team including medical personnel and tunnel-rescue specialists has reached Nepal and is supporting assessment and rescue operations in difficult hydropower areas. India has also sent substantial relief material through multiple flights.

The assistance is particularly important because many affected locations require specialised tunnel rescue skills rather than conventional flood-response methods.

Nepal's death toll and missing persons remain high

The disaster has caused widespread loss of life across Nepal. The latest reports available on Sunday put Nepal's confirmed death toll in the hundreds, with the figure changing as bodies are recovered and identified.

Thousands remain unaccounted for. Rescue authorities have deployed large numbers of soldiers, police personnel and emergency workers to search for survivors and evacuate people from dangerous locations.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that bodies have been carried downstream, making identification and recovery difficult.

Tibet also suffers major losses

The disaster has not been confined to Nepal. China's Tibet region, particularly areas close to the Nepal border, has also suffered extensive damage.

Chinese authorities have reported deaths and hundreds of missing people in Tibet. A significant number of foreign nationals are among those reported missing, adding an international dimension to the rescue effort.

The border region has suffered damage to roads, buildings and other infrastructure, while rescue teams on both sides continue to deal with difficult terrain and unstable weather.

How did the disaster become so destructive?

The catastrophe began after a major high-altitude geological event in the Himalayan region. A collapse involving ice, rock and debris sent a huge volume of material into a river system.

The sudden movement of water and debris then developed into a powerful flash flood, sweeping through downstream areas and damaging settlements and infrastructure.

The Trishuli and Bhotekoshi river corridors were among the worst-affected areas. Roads, bridges, hydropower facilities and residential areas were damaged or completely buried.

Scientists have also warned that the stability of high-altitude Himalayan environments is becoming increasingly difficult to predict. Rising temperatures and changing conditions in glacial areas are being closely studied as possible factors behind the growing risk of such disasters.

Rescue operation now focused on survival

For authorities, the immediate priority is no longer assessing economic damage but finding people who may still be alive.

Every hour is crucial for workers believed to be trapped underground. The supply of air, removal of debris and creation of safe access routes are therefore being treated as urgent tasks.

Rescue teams are also using specialised personnel, heavy machinery, helicopters and technical equipment to reach areas that remain cut off.

The scale of the disaster means that the operation could continue for days. Authorities are simultaneously working on evacuation, medical assistance, body identification, restoration of transport links and assessment of damage to Nepal's hydropower infrastructure.

For families waiting for news of missing workers, however, the immediate concern remains the same: whether their loved ones can still be reached alive.

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SPECIAL COMMENT

Nepal's latest disaster has once again exposed the extreme vulnerability of infrastructure built in the high Himalayan terrain. Hydropower projects are essential to Nepal's economy and energy security, but many of them are located close to fast-flowing rivers and in areas where access can become extremely difficult during extreme weather events.

The rescue of trapped workers is therefore not simply a conventional flood operation. It involves tunnel engineering, mountain rescue, excavation, aviation support and continuous assessment of geological risks.

The immediate focus must remain on saving lives. At the same time, the disaster raises important questions about emergency planning for hydropower projects, early-warning systems, tunnel evacuation procedures and communication networks.

The involvement of India and other international partners can provide valuable technical support, particularly in specialised tunnel rescue and medical assistance.

Once the emergency phase is over, Nepal will face another major task: rebuilding damaged infrastructure and strengthening disaster preparedness in a region where extreme weather and unstable mountain environments pose a growing risk.

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