Nepal flood death toll passes 900 as hundreds remain trapped in hydropower tunnels

Rescuers in Nepal are racing to reach hydropower workers believed to be trapped inside tunnels buried by mud, as families search for relatives nearly a week after catastrophic flooding struck Nepal and China.

The Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal, said at least 900 workers had not been accounted for at 12 damaged hydropower projects in the Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts. Its president, Mohan Kumar Dangi, estimated that about 500 of them could be inside the tunnels.

Some workers reportedly contacted others and called for help when the flooding began last Wednesday. Workers who escaped told authorities and relatives that many colleagues remained underground. Dangi said fears were increasing six days later that some people may have suffocated.

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We are working in search and rescue of the stranded people from hills, settlements and river areas.

Nepal’s disaster agency counted 903 deaths and 4,247 missing people, including 592 foreigners. Chinese authorities reported 16 deaths and 546 missing, while Chinese state media said 261 of those missing were foreigners, including more than 100 Nepalis.

The rescue effort is focused on large tunnels used to divert water for hydropower generation. Jakob Steiner, a geoscientist at the University of Graz, said the tunnels are large enough for trucks and could provide refuge, with some trapped workers possibly receiving oxygen. Other officials warned that the chances of finding survivors were declining. Army spokesman Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet said teams were searching across hills, settlements and river areas.

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The tunnels are built to access hydropower infrastructure and to divert water, an essential step to generate energy. These tunnels are big enough to drive trucks through.