In a rare breakthrough, nine days after catastrophic floods and landslides devastated Nepal’s hydropower sector, two trapped workers were rescued alive from the Trishuli 3A hydropower tunnel.
The survivors, identified as Sanjaya Shah and Kabir Maharjan, were evacuated on Friday after rescue teams detected voices inside the debris‑filled passage. Nepal’s Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha confirmed the first evacuation, while Home Minister Sudan Gurung later announced the second.
Images broadcast by local television showed one worker, covered in mud, being carried out on a rescuer’s shoulder. Officials said oxygen was supplied to one of the men immediately after evacuation.
The August 26 disaster left around 900 workers missing across 12 hydropower projects, with nearly 500 believed trapped in tunnels. At Trishuli 3A alone, at least 40 remained unaccounted for.
Rescue teams, including the Nepal Army and Armed Police Force, have been battling unstable terrain, debris‑clogged tunnels and harsh weather. Heavy machinery and specialised equipment are being deployed to clear passages.
The floods and landslides have claimed 1,259 lives in Nepal, with more than 5,000 people still missing. The disaster also crossed into Tibet, where Chinese authorities reported 21 deaths and 541 missing.
The survival of Shah and Maharjan has raised hopes for others still trapped. Indian Army Colonel Parikshit Mehra, involved in the operation, noted that while the first 48 hours are critical, “there have been miracles.”
