Nepal’s rescuers are currently focusing their efforts on three hydroelectric tunnel projects to search for possible trapped workers. Nepalese authorities stated on Tuesday (September 8) that out of approximately 900 missing workers from the hydroelectric projects, an estimated 121 individuals may be trapped inside the tunnels.
According to Reuters, on August 26, a glacier collapse near the Nepal-China border triggered massive flooding and mudslides. The disaster affected around 12 hydroelectric projects in the Trishuli River Valley of Nepal, with some tunnel entrances being buried under mud, rocks, and other debris, potentially trapping workers who were underground.
Dharma Raj Upreti, head of Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, mentioned that rescue teams are currently focusing on searching the Chilime Hydroelectric Project and the tunnels of the Upper Trishuli 3A and 3B hydroelectric projects.
Of particular concern is the Chilime Hydroelectric Project, as the local tunnel is equipped with a cafeteria, dormitories, and food supply facilities. Rescue teams believe that some missing individuals may have sought refuge in these areas, increasing their chances of survival.
The tunnels of the Upper Trishuli 3A and 3B projects are interconnected. Rescue teams have been supplying oxygen through pipelines into the tunnels and deploying new rescue equipment in an effort to clear blockages and establish a passage to the tunnel interiors.
Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah stated on the evening of the 8th that the search and rescue efforts will not waver, and the government will continue to exert full efforts in locating and rescuing the missing persons.
The Nepalese military previously indicated that out of the approximately 900 missing individuals related to the hydroelectric projects, an estimated 121 may be trapped inside the tunnels, while the rest of the missing persons may have been working in other areas of the hydroelectric stations at the time of the incident.
In recent days, several survivors have been rescued. Two Nepalese hydroelectric project workers were rescued after being trapped in a tunnel at the Upper Trishuli 3A hydroelectric station for 9 days. Additionally, a Chinese citizen was also rescued from a tunnel at the Upper Trishuli 1 hydroelectric project. Furthermore, a Nepalese woman miraculously survived being buried in rubble from a mudslide at her residence on September 6.
The flooding and mudslide disaster triggered by the glacier collapse has so far resulted in at least 1,399 deaths in Nepal and Tibet, China, with over 5,400 people missing. As rescue teams gradually access severely affected regions that were previously difficult to reach, the death toll and number of missing persons may further increase.
(Reference to Reuters report)