The rescue of two workers have revived hope for hundreds of others still said to be trapped
About 900 workers are missing from 12 hydropower projects in Nepal, according to local authorities, with roughly 500 believed to be trapped inside tunnels. 26, when massive floods and landslides tore through parts of Nepal, likely after a glacier collapse. At least 1,259 people have been killed and more than 5,000 remain missing, according to Nepal’s disaster management agency. On the Tibet side of the border, China said late Wednesday that 21 people had been killed and 541 were missing. Indian Army Colonel Parikshit Mehra, who was involved in the rescue operation at the Trishuli 3A site, said earlier this week that the first 48 hours are the most crucial in a tunnel rescue. The flash floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, caused widespread destruction across northern and central Nepal, killing at least 1,282 people and leaving thousands missing.
Raja Ram Basnet confirmed the first rescue during the operation. Nepal Police said the highest number of recovered bodies were reported from Chitwan, Nawalparasi East and West, Nuwakot and Rasuwa, with rescue and recovery operations continuing across the affected areas.
The rescue brought a dramatic breakthrough to a desperate operation, but hopes of finding more survivors rose further after rescuers heard voices coming from inside the tunnel, according to Bipin Regmi, police chief in the flood-hit district of Nuwakot. Nepal lawmaker Shri Ram Neupane later said a second worker had also been rescued alive. Nepal Army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Among those unaccounted for are workers from China, South Korea and India. The rescue effort has continued under treacherous conditions since Aug. The chances of finding survivors have become increasingly uncertain with each passing day.