Two workers rescued from hydropower tunnel in Nepal after floods

Rescuers in Nepal successfully pulled two workers alive from a hydropower tunnel on Friday as emergency teams continued efforts to reach others believed to be trapped inside, according to officials. The two men were rescued from the Trishuli 3A tunnel nine days after floods, likely caused by a glacier collapse, devastated towns and swept away villages in Nepal on August 26. Nepalese lawmaker Shri Ram Neupane shared news of the second rescue on his Facebook page shortly after army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet confirmed the first worker's rescue. The two men were identified as a mechanical foreman and a mechanical supervisor. Rescuers first heard voices from inside the tunnel on Friday morning, confirming that people were alive and allowing them to locate the two men, Neupane stated. Local television news channels broadcast images of the first rescued worker, who was covered in mud and carried from the site on a rescuer's shoulder. Officials reported that both men were in stable condition and were flown to a hospital in Kathmandu. Amir Maharjan, brother of one of the rescued workers, expressed gratitude, stating, "I can’t explain what we are feeling at the moment. We are just grateful to god." He mentioned that the family was on their way to the hospital to see him. At least 557 workers are reported missing from the Trishuli 3A hydropower project along the Trishuli River, with approximately 115 believed to be trapped in the main tunnel, according to the Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal. Officials at the rescue site indicated that they believe some individuals may still be alive inside the tunnel. Nepal’s Communication Minister Bikram Timilsina expressed hope for the rescue of more workers, stating, "We are waiting for the rescue of more and more people" on his Facebook page. The floods have resulted in at least 1,259 fatalities, with more than 5,000 individuals reported missing, according to the country’s disaster management agency. In Tibet, China reported 21 deaths and 541 missing individuals as of late Wednesday. Approximately 900 workers are missing from 12 hydropower projects in Nepal, with around 500 believed to be trapped in tunnels, according to local authorities.