Hydropower Worker Escapes Flood and Spends Night Alone in Cave

Shiva Giri and seven colleagues had only seconds to escape when a flood swept through the Upper Trishuli Hydropower Project in Nepal. The group jumped into a forest as the water approached, watching it carry away vehicles, a bridge, their camp and other structures.

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Boulders as high as 50 metres were being tossed around as the flood came towards us, destroying the bridge and the camp

Giri, a lab technician at the 216-megawatt project, had left for work at about 7:30 a.m. on August 26. A dry landslide blocked his route toward Tunnel No. 3, and the workers turned back after informing their office. A warning of flooding from upstream then sent them running toward their camp.

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We survived by jumping into the forest just two seconds before it reached us

“Boulders as high as 50 metres were being tossed around as the flood came towards us, destroying the bridge and the camp,” Giri recalled. “We survived by jumping into the forest just two seconds before it reached us.”

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When the helicopter arrived, we felt there was hope of survival

Helicopters later circled the area, but Giri said the group received no rescue. By mid-afternoon, he could no longer walk properly after injuring his knee during the escape. The workers began climbing toward a village said to be eight to 10 hours away. The group split as darkness fell, and Giri eventually spent the night in a cave. He had no food or water, but rain began about half an hour after he wished for it, giving him a chance to drink. A dog that had followed him became his companion.

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I thought, if only it would rain, at least I could drink water