Two workers have been rescued alive from a hydropower tunnel in Nepal, nine days after they were trapped following devastating floods and landslides in the country.
The workers, identified as Sanjay Sah and Kabir Maharjan, were pulled from the tunnel at the Upper Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project in Nepal’s Rasuwa district on Friday.
Their rescue has raised fresh hopes that other workers still missing in tunnels across the affected hydropower projects could also be found alive.
Workers found deep inside tunnel
Rescuers located the two men after detecting signs of life inside the tunnel, which had been blocked by mud and debris following the disaster.
The workers were reportedly found about 170 metres inside the tunnel and were brought out after rescue teams cleared a route through the debris.
They were subsequently taken for medical treatment in Kathmandu. Reports said their vital signs were stable after the rescue, although one of the survivors was reported to be in serious condition.
Families celebrate ‘miracle’ rescue
The dramatic rescue brought relief to the families of the two men, who had spent days waiting for news about their whereabouts.
Maharjan’s family described his survival as a miracle after authorities had spent more than a week searching through tunnels affected by the floods and landslides.
The rescue has also given relatives of other missing workers renewed hope that people trapped in underground chambers may still be alive.
Hundreds remain missing
The two survivors were among hundreds of workers feared trapped or missing following the catastrophic flooding that struck the region on August 26.
Officials and industry representatives have reported that about 900 workers were missing from a number of hydropower projects, with hundreds believed to be inside tunnels.
Rescue operations have been complicated by thick mud, collapsed infrastructure and debris blocking access to the underground facilities.
The discovery of the two survivors has strengthened hopes that air pockets and enclosed spaces inside some of the tunnels may have allowed other workers to survive for several days.
Rescue operations continue
The Nepal Army, police and specialist rescue teams remain involved in the search for missing workers.
Authorities are continuing to clear tunnels and inspect other locations where workers may be trapped, while rescue teams are also responding to reports of possible voices coming from inside some of the underground structures.
The successful rescue of Sah and Maharjan after nine days has therefore become a rare moment of hope amid one of Nepal’s worst recent disasters.
Rescue teams are now racing against time to determine whether more people can be brought out alive.
