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🇬🇧 United Kingdom /Disasters & Emergencies

Two workers pulled alive from Nepal hydropower tunnel nine days after floods

From The Guardian · () English

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

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Rescuers pulled foreman Sanjay Shah and project supervisor Kabir Maharjan alive from the Trishuli 3A hydropower tunnel, 170 metres underground.
  • Shah was conscious when he emerged, while Maharjan was in critical condition; a body was also recovered and the search later stopped after rescuers found no further signs of life.
  • Shah said he stayed behind during the flood to warn and help other workers before he became trapped.

Two workers have been pulled alive from a hydropower tunnel in Nepal nine days after flash floods buried the project in deep mud.

Sanjay Shah, a foreman, was rescued first from the Trishuli 3A tunnel and taken to an army barracks in Trishuli. Kabir Maharjan, a project supervisor, was also brought out. Rescuers found both men about 170 metres underground.

What day is it?

· Sanjay ShahThe foreman asked the question after rescuers brought him out of the tunnel.

Army footage showed Shah emerging from the small, dark tunnel entrance covered in mud but conscious. His first question was, “What day is it?” He told army officials that he had been in the control room when the flood struck, alongside about 40 to 45 other people.

Since I was in the control room, my responsibility was to save everyone’s lives

· Sanjay ShahHe described why he stayed to warn and help other workers during the flood.

“Since I was in the control room, my responsibility was to save everyone’s lives,” Shah said. “After such an accident, I couldn’t just run away by myself. I had to save everyone.” He said he ran through the tunnel telling people to escape, but lost the time needed to get out himself.

Shah said he chanted mantras to stay calm in the darkness and heard the voices of three or four other people nearby. Rescuers later recovered a body from an upper level. After searching the tunnel and powerhouse, they found no further signs of life and halted the operation. Shah was reported to be stable, while Maharjan was in critical condition and transferred to intensive care in Kathmandu.

After such an accident, I couldn’t just run away by myself. I had to save everyone.

· Sanjay ShahHe explained his decision to remain in the tunnel while others tried to escape.
About this summary

Originally published by The Guardian 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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