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An urgent rescue operation is underway to save workers trapped inside a hydropower project tunnel along the Trishuli River in Nepal. Rescuers are pumping air into the tunnel, while plans are underway to dig a manhole to send rescue teams inside in search of survivors.
According to the Independent Power Producers’ Association of Nepal, around 900 workers employed at various hydropower projects remain unaccounted for. So far, around 361 workers have been rescued, according to the association.
Energy and Water Resources Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha said late Saturday that the Trishuli-3A Hydropower Project had been buried under mud and sediment following the floods. He said the rescue operation inside the tunnel had made some progress.
Rescue teams are using excavation equipment to clear mud and sediment accumulated inside the tunnel. The minister said a 6-inch-diameter hole had been drilled from above, but an initial inspection found no debris inside.
Air, light and sound were then introduced into the tunnel, but rescuers have not yet been able to establish contact with anyone trapped inside.
Shrestha said the existing hole would be enlarged to create a manhole. Authorities aim to reach the main tunnel through several routes by Sunday.
On Friday, the Nepal Army released dramatic footage showing several people being rescued from a hydropower tunnel. The video showed survivors crawling through thick mud to safety. It was filmed in Rasuwa district.
The Nepalese government has requested India and China to send experts to assist in rescuing workers trapped inside the tunnels. Rescue teams from both countries arrived in Nepal on Saturday.