Rescuers on Saturday extracted two men from a water‑logged tunnel of a hydropower project in central Nepal, nine days after a flash flood devastated the region and left hundreds of people unaccounted for.
Rescue operation
The operation, coordinated by the Nepali army and local disaster teams, succeeded after a prolonged search that involved drilling, rope work and underwater equipment. The New York Times reported that the two workers were pulled out alive after rescuers entered the tunnel with breathing apparatus. Officials in Kathmandu confirmed the survivors were taken to a nearby medical centre for treatment, while the search for the remaining missing continues.
“I was in total darkness for days, hearing the water roar and hoping someone would hear my voice,” a survivor told Reuters after escaping the tunnel.
Disaster impact and rebuilding
The flash flood was triggered by a sudden breach of a glacial lake on the Nepal‑Tibet border, sending a torrent of water and debris down steep valleys. Initial counts put the death toll at more than 60, with the official missing list approaching 400, according to the BBC. The inundation destroyed roads, bridges and homes, and severely damaged the hydropower infrastructure that was under construction.
Rebuilding will require extensive funding. BBC News quoted a senior government official saying Nepal will need “billions of dollars” to restore damaged infrastructure, rebuild homes and revive the power sector. International donors have pledged assistance, but the scale of the loss is expected to strain the country’s already limited resources.
Identification and ongoing search
With many bodies still unrecovered, authorities are turning to DNA testing to confirm identities. Al Jazeera noted that a dedicated forensic team is collecting samples from relatives and remains to build a database for matching. The effort comes as rescuers continue to comb remote valleys where survivors and victims alike may be trapped under landslides.
In addition to the tunnel rescue, a 97‑year‑old man was pulled from flood‑covered debris in a nearby village, according to South Korean outlet 동아일보. The discovery underscores the breadth of the ongoing humanitarian crisis, as families wait for news about loved ones amid a deteriorating winter season.
Engineers on the ground have been using a WhatsApp group to share real‑time data on tunnel integrity, water levels and equipment needs, a method highlighted by Reuters. The informal network has allowed specialists from across the country to provide technical guidance despite limited communications in the mountainous terrain.
Local officials warned that the window for rescuing any remaining survivors is closing rapidly. The Guardian quoted an engineer saying that “the clock is ticking” as the water recedes and the risk of further collapses grows.
As Nepal grapples with the immediate rescue mission, the longer‑term challenge of reconstruction looms. The government has pledged to launch a comprehensive rebuilding plan, but delivering the “billions” of aid needed will require sustained international support and coordinated domestic effort.
