Six South Africans reported missing after Nepal - Tibet border floods

On Friday, Nepali army helicopter rescue teams were diligently working to save approximately 100 individuals who found themselves trapped within a tunnel at a hydropower project overwhelmed by a catastrophic flood that occurred two days prior. According to Nepal Army spokesman Raja Ram Basnet, the primary objective is to conduct a search and rescue operation, as some people have become ensnared in the tunnel of the Trishuli 3A hydropower project.

Two helicopters have been deployed for the mission, but the task is proving to be arduous due to the difficulty in pinpointing the tunnel's entry points. Relief efforts are underway to provide assistance to those who have been rescued.

The Prime Minister's Office reported that the army had been operating under challenging circumstances. A statement released by the office revealed that an army team had successfully rescued 350 workers and locals from the tunnel earlier, facing perilous conditions due to adverse weather and rapid floodwaters. The army is still working to ensure the safe evacuation of the remaining over 100 people trapped in the same tunnel, though no further details regarding the nationalities of those rescued or trapped were provided.

The extent of the destruction caused by recent devastating floods in Nepal's northern border region became evident on Friday, with roads, bridges, and hydropower infrastructure severely damaged. Survivors from other dam projects in the Trishuli valley described a disaster that unfolded with alarming rapidity. Dev Shrestha, who was airlifted from the site, stated that at least 400 workers were present at the location when the flood struck, and more people died than were rescued.

Worker Buddha Tamang survived the incident because he was inside a tunnel at the dam when the flood hit, but he managed to reach help after being stranded for over 24 hours. Other workers, such as Arjun Kumar Tamang, reported massive damage at the hydropower site they were working on, attributing the incident to the force of the water sweeping everything away.

The US Geological Survey attributed the disaster to a glacial collapse that triggered a massive flow of icy debris, emphasizing that climate change is exacerbating such events by causing glaciers worldwide to melt, thereby increasing the risks of glacial lake floods and collapses. This disaster has severed vital links across a mountainous region where roads and bridges are often the sole means of transportation, and the damage has also impacted Nepal's crucial hydropower sector, with several projects – both operational and under construction – significantly affected.