Hundreds feared trapped in Nepal hydropower tunnels after flood

Deep beneath the mud and debris of Nepal’s Trishuli corridor, hundreds of hydropower workers are believed to be trapped in tunnels and underground powerhouses. Three days after a catastrophic flood, rescuers are still struggling to reach some of them.

Roads and bridges have been swept away, tunnel entrances buried, and in some cases, authorities do not know exactly where the workers are. A video circulating widely shows Nepali Army soldiers working through thick, frozen mud inside a tunnel, pulling a trapped worker. This dramatic rescue at the 216-megawatt Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower project has drawn widespread praise.

However, this rescue is just one part of a larger crisis. The Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN), reports that 934 people linked to 11 hydropower projects remain unaccounted for. The precise number trapped at individual sites is unclear, highlighting the difficulty of reaching facilities cut off by the flood.

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We have not been able to carry out a rescue. The tunnel is filled with mud, and it is impossible to enter. We are working to mobilise a rock-climbing rescue team.

At the Chilime Hydropower project, eight people, including employees, remain out of contact, with six believed to be inside a mud-filled tunnel. "We have not been able to carry out a rescue. The tunnel is filled with mud, and it is impossible to enter," said Baburaj Maharjan, executive director of Chilime Hydropower Company. "We are working to mobilise a rock-climbing rescue team."

At Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Company, 49 employees are out of contact. "We estimate that three to six people may be inside the six- or seven-storey underground powerhouse. We are hoping they are safe as long as the oxygen pipes have not been blocked," said information officer Narayan Nath Neupane. The Nepal Army has rescued 254 people from Upper Trishuli-1 and 18 from the Langtang Khola Hydropower project, but workers at several other projects await rescue. Officials criticize the government for not prioritizing the rescue effort, with access remaining the biggest obstacle. Bijaya Mohan Bhattarai, promoter of Langtang Hydropower, stated that the project is now only reachable by helicopter after bridges on the approach roads were washed away.

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We estimate that three to six people may be inside the six- or seven-storey underground powerhouse. We are hoping they are safe as long as the oxygen pipes have not been blocked.