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Rescued Nepal tunnel worker recounts helping others escape before being trapped

Two men pulled alive from hydropower tunnel nine days after catastrophic floods; one in critical condition

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By LineZotpaper
Published
Updated
Read Time3 min
Sources9 outlets
Two workers have been rescued alive from a hydropower tunnel in Nepal nine days after devastating flash floods swept through the Himalayan region, raising hopes that dozens more still trapped may have survived. The rescued men, identified as Sanjay Sah and Kabir Maharjan, were pulled from the Upper Trishuli 3A Hydropower Station on Friday, while the body of a third worker was found nearby.

Sanjay Sah, a 30-year-old mechanical foreman, told journalists shortly after his rescue that he had helped evacuate others from the control room when the flood hit on August 26. "My responsibility in the control room was to save everybody's lives. I told everybody about the situation and asked them to leave the room. In the process, I helped everybody get out, but I didn't have enough time to get out myself and run," he said. Sah added that he believed some workers could still be stuck inside and said he had been humming the Hare Krishna mantra while waiting.

Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha's office confirmed the rescue. An aide told Reuters that Sah's injuries are not critical, but Kabir Maharjan, a mechanical supervisor, cannot move his hands or legs and is in critical condition. Both were airlifted to the Army Hospital in Kathmandu. Maharjan's brother, Amir, said the family had heard the news and was "very happy."

Rescuers heard voices at the tunnel entrance in the early hours of Friday and called out, receiving a faint "okay" in response, according to local reports. Crews later found the two men, both with injuries to their hands and legs, possibly from crawling through the tunnel.

The massive flash flood, believed to have been triggered by a glacial collapse, swept through a valley on the Nepal-Tibet border, wiping out entire villages. The official death toll stands at 1,311 confirmed dead across Nepal and Tibet, with 5,330 still missing — including hundreds of foreign citizens from at least 34 countries. In Nepal alone, at least 1,259 people have been killed and more than 5,000 remain missing, according to the country's disaster management agency. About 900 workers are missing from 12 hydropower projects, with roughly 500 believed trapped in tunnels.

Rescue operations are continuing at seven hydropower tunnels and 19 other locations. Earlier this week, authorities expressed confidence that dozens of workers at the Rasuwagadhi hydropower plant could still be alive, trapped in a "room-like" underground chamber.

On Saturday, further rescues were reported: a woman was pulled from a house and a man from a tunnel, as international teams joined the search effort, according to local media.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The rescue of survivors after nine days offers rare hope in a disaster where thousands remain missing, demonstrating that survival in sealed underground spaces is possible.
  • The flood, linked to a glacial collapse, underscores the growing risk of climate-driven glacial lake outburst floods in the Himalayas — a region with rapidly melting glaciers.
  • Nepal's extensive hydropower infrastructure, built in narrow river valleys, is now under scrutiny for worker safety and disaster preparedness.

Background

Nepal has experienced a series of devastating floods in recent years, but the August 26 event is among the worst in decades. The floods were triggered by a glacial collapse — likely from a high-altitude lake bursting its moraine dam — sending a wall of water and debris down the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river valleys. The area is home to dozens of hydropower projects that supply electricity to Nepal and export to India. Workers were inside tunnels and underground powerhouses when the flood struck, leaving many trapped. Rescue efforts have been hampered by debris, waterlogged tunnels, and difficult terrain.

Key Perspectives

  • Nepalese authorities and military: Focused on rescue operations, they have maintained that people trapped in underground chambers could still be alive, citing the rescue of the two men as proof.
  • Families of the missing: Many have waited for days without official information, relying on news reports and social media. The family of Kabir Maharjan expressed joy but remain anxious about his condition.
  • Critics of hydropower safety: Environmental and labour groups have long warned that tunnel construction in geologically unstable areas poses extreme risks. The disaster may prompt calls for stricter safety regulations and emergency protocols.

What to Watch

  • The condition of Kabir Maharjan and whether further survivors are pulled from the tunnels in the coming days.
  • The final casualty toll, particularly the number of foreign nationals missing, which could trigger international diplomatic responses.
  • Scientific assessments of the glacial collapse — whether it was a single event or part of a broader pattern of instability in the region.

Sources

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Articles published under the Zotpaper byline are synthesized from multiple source publications by our AI editor and reviewed by our editorial process. Each story combines reporting from credible outlets to give readers a balanced, comprehensive view.

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