Nepal Races to Open Hydroelectric Tunnels After Glacier Avalanche, Over 930 Workers Missing

Nepal is engaged in a desperate race against time to access tunnels at over 11 hydroelectric projects following a devastating glacier avalanche. The Wednesday incident submerged the Trishuli River basin, leaving an estimated 933 workers unaccounted for.

Joint teams of the Nepalese Army and police are working around the clock to clear mud and debris from the entrance of the Trishuli 3 'A' hydroelectric project tunnel. Authorities believe hundreds of people may be trapped inside, but adverse weather conditions are severely complicating rescue operations.

“

The weather conditions are complicating operations.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported a significant increase in the number of missing persons, now totaling 2,426 on the Nepalese side alone. This figure includes workers from the vital Himalayan valley's electrical projects, crucial for the nation's power supply.

In response to the scale of the disaster, a specialized Indian rescue team has arrived to conduct aerial surveys and support tunnel operations. Despite successful rescues of over 350 individuals from various complexes, the situation remains critical, with local authorities appealing for more support to reach isolated areas and growing anxiety among families of the missing.

“

The situation is of extreme urgency.