Rescue teams in Nepal’s mountains are in a race against time to reach numerous workers believed to be trapped inside hydropower tunnels, providing a glimmer of hope in the aftermath of a devastating Himalayan flood that claimed over 1,200 lives. The catastrophe, triggered by a glacier collapse near the Nepal-China border, wreaked havoc on towns and valleys in the region, with 1,204 confirmed fatalities and over 4,200 individuals still unaccounted for.
Efforts are now concentrated on the hydroelectric project tunnels, where authorities suspect workers might have survived being isolated by floodwaters and debris. With some tunnels equipped with air chambers, rescue teams are striving to locate around 900 missing workers. Amshu Kiran Shahi, a Nepal Electricity Authority board member, expressed confidence in the possibility of finding survivors due to the presence of food and water in the tunnels’ facilities designed for communication and rest.
While the chances of locating survivors elsewhere diminish, rescue operations persist as teams scour the mountainous terrain along the China border where the floods wreaked havoc on communities. Prime Minister Balendra Shah affirmed the government’s commitment to continuing search and rescue missions, with a particular focus on tunnels at four projects where nearly 100 people are missing, presenting favorable conditions for finding survivors.
Specialized rescue squads from India, China, and the United States are collaborating on the tunnel rescue operations. Across the border in Tibet, China, the official toll has risen, with at least 21 deceased and 541 individuals still missing. Following the reopening of the Gyirong border crossing road, which was obliterated by the flood, heavy machinery has finally reached the core disaster zone, facilitating search and rescue efforts.
In Nepal’s affected regions, residents are grappling with the aftermath, salvaging what remains of their possessions from the once vibrant villages and towns now reduced to rubble. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to address the psychological distress among children who witnessed the calamity, as Save the Children reports growing anxiety and fear among minors traumatized by the catastrophic events.
The Nepalese government, aided by international support, is working to restore telecommunication, power supply, and transport links using Bailey bridges, with 95% of telecom services back online in the affected areas by Tuesday. The disaster has disrupted 431 megawatts of electricity generation capacity, with Prime Minister Balendra Shah acknowledging the heroic efforts of security personnel who warned local residents before the disaster, some of whom are still missing.
