Nepal Rescues Two Hydropower Workers from Tunnel After Nine Days

Nine days after a devastating flash flood in the Himalayas, rescuers in Nepal found two hydropower workers alive inside a tunnel. The Nepalese army and the operator of the Trishuli 3A facility confirmed the rescue.

The survivors, aged 30 and 45, were to be flown to Kathmandu. Officials initially described their condition as stable. One man could not move his arms and legs, while the other suffered injuries that were not considered critical.

Local television showed one rescued worker covered in mud, and army video captured the rescue. The brother of one survivor said, “I cannot explain what we are feeling right now. We are simply grateful to God.” He said the family was traveling to the hospital to see him.

Communications Minister Bikram Timilsina said there was still hope of rescuing more workers. Hundreds remained missing in tunnel systems at hydropower facilities, many of which were destroyed or still under construction.

Experts attributed the disaster to a glacier collapse at Langtang Lirung, a mountain more than 7,000 meters high in Nepal. The resulting wall of water, mud and debris tore through narrow valleys on both sides of the border, carrying away homes, roads and people. More than 1,300 people died in Nepal and Tibet, while the number missing reached into the thousands.

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I cannot explain what we are feeling right now. We are simply grateful to God.