- A joint team of Nepali Army and Indian experts recovered two bodies from the Chilime Hydropower Project tunnel after reaching 100 meters.
- Hundreds of workers remain unaccounted for across several hydropower projects, including Upper Trishuli-1 and Upper Trishuli-3A, following devastating floods.
- Technical teams from India, China, and Korea are assisting Nepali forces in navigating hazardous mud and debris-blocked tunnels to find survivors.
- Rescuers are identifying alternative routes and clearing debris under high-risk conditions to reach those still trapped inside various damaged tunnel structures.
Indian tunnel experts and Nepali Army rescue team reaches 100 meters inside; search for missing workers continues
Kathmandu, Nepal. A joint rescue team of the Nepali Army and Indian tunnel experts has recovered two bodies from a tunnel at the Chilime Hydropower Project in Rasuwa, where workers are feared to have been trapped following the devastating floods in the Bhotekoshi River.
The rescue team entered about 100 meters into the approximately 250-meter-long tunnel and recovered two bodies during the search operation. No survivors were found in the section reached by the team.
Nepali Army spokesperson Brigadier General Rajaram Basnet said the joint team had managed to make significant progress into the tunnel despite difficult and hazardous conditions.
“We entered about 100 meters into the 250-meter-long tunnel with the joint team. We could not find any living person there,” Basnet said.
The search and rescue operation has not been suspended, as several workers and employees are still feared to be trapped inside the tunnel. Rescue teams are continuing their efforts to determine the condition of those who remain unaccounted for.
Specialized rescue operation begins after five days
The rescue operation has been particularly challenging following severe flooding in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers, which caused extensive damage to hydropower projects and surrounding infrastructure in Rasuwa and Nuwakot.
Mud, rocks and debris have blocked tunnel entrances, while damaged roads and other infrastructure have made access to the affected areas difficult.
The arrival of an Indian team of tunnel specialists has provided additional technical support for the rescue operation. The specialists are working with the Nepali Army to assess the condition of the tunnels and determine the safest ways to reach those who may still be trapped inside.
An 11-member team of Indian tunnel experts has been deployed for the rescue operation, according to the latest information.
The recovery of the two bodies has brought painful uncertainty to families who have been waiting for news of their loved ones. At the same time, rescue workers are continuing the search, keeping open the possibility that others may still be found alive.
Hundreds of workers remain unaccounted for
The floods have left a large number of workers and employees at hydropower projects in Rasuwa and Nuwakot unaccounted for.
The Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN), had earlier reported that 898 people from 11 hydropower projects were missing. Of them, 361 had been rescued, while many others were believed to be trapped inside tunnels and other structures.
The number has gradually declined as rescue teams have reached several affected sites and located some of the missing workers.
Radio Nepal reported on Saturday that 537 people from nine hydropower projects were still unaccounted for. The figures are being updated as rescue operations continue and more people are located.
Search and rescue efforts are also underway at Upper Trishuli-1, Upper Trishuli-3A, Upper Trishuli-3B, Langtang Khola and other hydropower projects, where workers are believed to be trapped inside tunnels or other structures.
Rescue efforts continue at Upper Trishuli-3A
Rescue teams from the Nepali Army and other security agencies have also been mobilized at the Upper Trishuli-3A Hydropower Project in Nuwakot.
Teams are working to identify alternative routes to reach the tunnel, clear debris and use technical equipment to assess conditions inside. According to the latest information, rescuers have identified a possible route for entering the tunnel.
However, water, mud and debris inside the tunnel, along with concerns that parts of the structure may have been weakened by the floods, have made the operation extremely risky.
Rescuers must therefore proceed cautiously, with technical assessments carried out before entering or advancing further into the tunnel. The safety of the rescue personnel themselves remains a major concern.
Families wait anxiously for news
For the families of workers still missing, the rescue operation has become a painful wait between hope and fear.
Every report of a rescue team entering a tunnel brings a renewed sense of hope, while the recovery of bodies has deepened the grief and uncertainty faced by families waiting for their loved ones.
Families have urged the government to mobilize all available resources and accelerate the search for those still missing. Their immediate concern is to learn, as soon as possible, whether their loved ones are alive and where they are located.
For many of them, the uncertainty is perhaps the hardest part of the ordeal.
Foreign technical assistance expanded
As rescue efforts have grown more complex, Nepal has sought assistance from foreign technical experts.
An Indian team of tunnel specialists is already working in the affected areas, while Chinese and Korean technical teams have also reportedly been deployed or are in the process of being mobilized to provide technical and rescue support.
The rescue operation has faced criticism over delays, but coordination between Nepali security agencies and foreign specialists has increased in recent days.
The difficult terrain, damaged roads and bridges, blocked tunnel entrances and continuing risks have made the rescue operation exceptionally challenging.
With two bodies now recovered from the Chilime tunnel, the operation has entered an even more sensitive stage. Authorities face the immediate task of identifying the deceased and informing their families, while continuing the search for those who may still be trapped inside.
For families who have spent days waiting for word from their loved ones, every hour now carries enormous significance.
