Two Workers Found Alive After Spending Nine Days Trapped Inside Nepal Hydropower Tunnel
Nepal : In a remarkable rescue that has brought a moment of hope amid Nepal’s devastating floods, two workers were pulled out alive from a debris-filled hydropower tunnel in Trishuli, nine days after flash floods swept through parts of the country.
The workers were rescued from the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project, where the tunnel entrance had been buried under mud and debris following the disaster on August 26. Their survival has renewed hopes that other workers feared trapped inside similar tunnels could also be found alive.
According to Nepal’s Home Minister Sudan Gurung, the two rescued workers have been identified as Kabir Maharjan, 45, and Sanjay Shah, 30. Shah works as a mechanical foreman with the Nepal Electricity Authority, while Maharjan is a supervisor at the Trishuli-3A Hydropower Project.
Both men were reportedly suffering from injuries to their arms and legs when rescuers reached them. The injuries are believed to have occurred as they struggled to move through the tunnel after its entrance was blocked by the flood debris.
The emotional rescue brought enormous relief to the families of the trapped workers. Amir Maharjan, the brother of Kabir Maharjan, described his feelings after learning that his brother had been found alive, saying that he was extremely happy and felt a great weight lifted from his heart.
Nine Days of Uncertainty
The rescue operation came nine days after the devastating floods struck Nepal on August 26. The disaster affected several districts, destroying homes, roads and infrastructure and leaving thousands of people either dead or missing.
The Trishuli 3A project became one of the major focus points for rescue teams because several workers were believed to have been inside its underground facilities when the flood struck.
The tunnel leading to the underground powerhouse is more than four kilometres long, making the rescue operation extremely difficult. Mud, water and debris blocked access, forcing rescue teams and engineers to work carefully while searching for signs of life.
When the two workers were finally brought out, rescue teams were seen celebrating. Images and videos showed the exhausted, mud-covered men being carried away from the tunnel and assisted by rescuers.
One of the rescued workers was photographed with his hands pressed together in prayer as rescuers carried him away on a stretcher. The powerful images reflected both the physical ordeal the workers had endured and the relief surrounding their rescue.
One Worker Airlifted for Treatment
Sanjay Shah was reportedly in no condition to speak immediately after being rescued. He was airlifted to Battar, located northwest of Kathmandu, for medical attention.
Kabir Maharjan was conscious when rescuers brought him out and was reportedly being prepared for treatment at Chhauni Hospital, a military hospital in Kathmandu. His wife told the BBC that he remained conscious after being rescued.
The condition of both workers highlighted the seriousness of their ordeal. After spending nine days inside a dark and debris-filled tunnel, they required immediate medical attention and monitoring.
Rescue Teams Continue Searching
While the rescue of Maharjan and Shah has brought hope, the emergency in Nepal remains far from over.
Rescue operations are continuing at several other hydropower tunnels across the country. More than 150 people are feared trapped in around half a dozen other tunnels, according to reports cited in the source.
Local authorities have said that approximately 900 workers are missing from 12 hydropower projects in Nepal, with around 500 believed to be trapped inside tunnels.
Engineers involved in the rescue operation have been pumping air into some of the tunnels in an effort to keep conditions survivable for anyone who may still be trapped underground.
Rescuers are also listening carefully for possible signs of life and working through layers of mud and debris to reach inaccessible areas.
Hopes Rise After Unexpected Survival
The survival of the two Trishuli workers has given rescuers and families renewed hope.
After nine days, many families had been anxiously waiting for news about their loved ones. The successful rescue demonstrates that people trapped underground may still have a chance of survival even after several days, depending on the conditions inside the tunnels.
Nepal’s Communication Minister Bikram Timilsina also expressed hope that more workers could be rescued. He said officials were waiting for the rescue of more people as operations continued.
Nepal Flood Disaster Leaves Thousands Missing
The hydropower tunnel rescue is taking place against the backdrop of one of Nepal’s most devastating recent natural disasters.
According to the country’s disaster management agency, the catastrophic flooding has claimed at least 1,259 lives, while more than 5,000 people remain missing.
The floods, which were reportedly linked to a possible glacier collapse, caused widespread destruction across towns and valleys. The sudden rush of water and debris overwhelmed communities and severely damaged infrastructure.
The disaster also affected areas close to the Nepal-China border. China reported that 21 people had died and 541 were missing on the Tibet side of the border as of late Wednesday.
A Rescue That Has Given Families Hope
For the families waiting for news of missing workers, the rescue of Kabir Maharjan and Sanjay Shah has become a rare moment of hope during an otherwise devastating period.
Nine days underground, surrounded by darkness, mud and debris, the two men managed to survive until rescuers reached them. Their rescue has encouraged teams to continue searching other blocked tunnels where workers may still be alive.
For now, rescue operations remain underway across several hydropower projects in Nepal. Families continue to wait for news, while rescuers and engineers work against difficult conditions in the hope of bringing more missing workers back home safely.
News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
