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🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates /Disasters & Emergencies

Rescuers pull Chinese national alive from Nepal tunnel 10 days after floods

From Khaleej Times · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • A joint team from Nepal’s army and foreign experts rescued a Chinese national from a tunnel 225 metres underground at the Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower project in Rasuwa district.
  • The man, identified as Luhaitao, was found alive 10 days after floods swept through the China-Nepal border area, while searches continued at several sites.
  • Nepal has recovered 1,344 bodies and reported about 5,000 missing people, while China reported 31 deaths and 531 missing.

A Chinese national has been pulled alive from a mud-filled tunnel in Nepal, 10 days after catastrophic floods swept through the China-Nepal border area. The rescue has renewed hopes that more missing hydropower workers could still be found.

His health is currently being assessed, and further search and rescue operations are continuing.

· Nepali ArmyThe army described the survivor’s condition and said rescue operations were still active.

A joint team of Nepal Army personnel and foreign experts located the man 225 metres inside the tunnel at the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project in Rasuwa district, according to a military statement. An army photograph showed the survivor, identified as Luhaitao, with his arms around two rescuers in camouflage. He appeared alert, although his hands were covered in thick mud.

“His health is currently being assessed, and further search and rescue operations are continuing,” the army said. Army spokesman Raja Ram Basnet told AFP that “work is underway at the tunnels” to locate other survivors.

Work is underway at the tunnels

· Raja Ram BasnetThe Nepal Army spokesman said teams were continuing to search for survivors.

Luhaitao was among hundreds of hydropower workers who went missing after a tsunami-like wall of water and mud struck the border region on August 26. The disaster followed a vast glacial and rock collapse. Two Nepali hydropower workers were rescued from a separate Trishuli 3A tunnel on Friday, nine days after they became trapped. Rescuers described that operation as a miracle.

safe and comfortable accommodation

· Balendra ShahNepal’s prime minister promised improved housing for people displaced by the disaster.

Search teams from India, China, Australia and South Korea are assisting Nepalese rescuers. At least 12 hydropower projects were destroyed. Nepal’s disaster agency said 1,344 bodies had been recovered and around 5,000 people remained missing. Chinese state media reported 31 deaths and 531 missing, bringing the combined toll to 1,375 dead and more than 5,500 missing. With morgues overflowing, Nepal Police said about 1,030 bodies had been buried in mass graves after DNA samples were collected. Prime Minister Balendra Shah promised safer, more comfortable accommodation for thousands of displaced people living in relief camps.

We know that staying there (in camps) is not easy for you

· Balendra ShahShah addressed thousands of displaced people living in temporary relief camps.
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.

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