Nepali rescuers buoyed by miracle finds as tough conditions persist
Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
At a glance
Newswire
Named sources
Ongoing story
- Search operations continued for a 12th day after glacial and mountain collapse on the China-Nepal border killed at least 1,384 people and left more than 5,500 missing across the two countries.
- Rescuers found four survivors, including two hydropower workers, a Chinese man and a 64-year-old Nepali woman, despite difficult terrain, weather and poor connectivity.
- Nepal faces a major recovery effort, with infrastructure destroyed, hundreds of bodies buried in mass graves and the United Nations appealing for $50 million in aid.
The discovery of four survivors has given Nepali rescuers a measure of hope as they enter the 12th day of searches after catastrophic floods and a glacial collapse. But the operation continues under difficult conditions, with damaged infrastructure, adverse weather and poor connectivity hampering access to affected areas.
The disaster on Aug. 26 sent a wall of icy water and debris through mountain districts along the China-Nepal border. It killed at least 1,384 people and left more than 5,500 missing across the two countries. In Nepal, rescuers have recovered 1,341 bodies, while about 4,996 people remain missing, according to the disaster agency.
Search and rescue is going on at the tunnels despite geography, adverse weather and lack of connectivity.
Two survivors were found on Saturday. A Chinese man was pulled alive from deep inside a hydropower tunnel, while 64-year-old Chandrika Shrestha was rescued from her mud-covered home. Two Nepali hydropower workers had been rescued the previous day from the Trishuli 3A tunnel. Searches continue at several locations, including tunnels linked to projects affected by the disaster.
given hope to the entire nation
Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha said search and rescue work was continuing “despite geography, adverse weather and lack of connectivity.” He said electricity restoration was also under way, with solar power being used in places that remained unreachable. Prime Minister Balendra Shah said Shrestha’s rescue had “given hope to the entire nation.”
Other accounts of courage have emerged. Rajendra Dawadi, a school principal, ordered an evacuation as the torrent approached and saved hundreds of students. “If the information was wrong, we would lose a day of schooling,” he told AFP. “But if it was true, we were going to lose our lives.” Nepal has buried hundreds of bodies in mass graves after collecting DNA samples for later identification. Only about 100 bodies have been identified and returned to families. The country will hold a national day of mourning on Monday, the 13th day since the disaster.
If the information was wrong, we would lose a day of schooling. But if it was true, we were going to lose our lives.
About this summary
Originally published by Khaleej Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
More Stories
From Our Blog
News in Translation: What Gets Lost, and How We Keep the Framing
Diaspora Media: How Communities Follow News From Home
Traveling Where the Press Is Not Free: How to Read the News There
The Digital Nomad's Guide to Local News
The Same Story, Different Countries: How Coverage Changes at the Border
