Nepal searches for more than 100 trapped in hydropower tunnel
As requested by Nepal, India is preparing to send a specialised tunnel rescue team.
KATHMANDU: Nepali army teams conducted a search on Friday for over 100 individuals trapped inside a hydropower tunnel following devastating floods that struck the area two days prior. India has offered to dispatch a specialized rescue team, citing their extensive experience with challenging Himalayan tunnel rescues, including the use of rat-hole miners.
Families of those trapped expressed uncertainty and anguish, as no updates had been received regarding their loved ones' fate. Sita Adhikari, whose husband was among the trapped, shared her despair, stating, "We have not had any news about them either, if they are being rescued or not." Two army helicopters were dispatched to the Trishuli 3A hydropower project in the mountainous Rasuwa district, with Nepal Army spokesman Raja Ram Basnet confirming the search and rescue operation's focus.
He acknowledged the difficulty in locating the tunnel's entry points, highlighting the challenging conditions. Prime Minister's office reported that the army had already rescued 350 people from the site under extremely risky and challenging circumstances, but over 100 remained trapped. The nationalities of those rescued and those still inside have not been specified.
India's specialized tunnel rescue team will arrive in Nepal, preceded by a reconnaissance team to assess the situation and determine necessary equipment, as requested by Nepal. India's foreign ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the team's preparation. Nepal had previously appealed for international financial assistance following the floods near its border with Tibet, but stated that they were managing without foreign rescue teams.
India is also sending a medical team and engineers carrying a portable metal Bailey bridge. The scale of destruction became evident on Friday, with roads, bridges, and hydropower infrastructure severely damaged, impacting 11 hydropower stations and one solar power station, with a combined capacity of 431.1MW. Additionally, 15 power projects under construction, with a planned capacity of 470MW, were also affected.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
