Nepal steps up rescue effort to reach hundreds trapped in tunnels

CHITWAN, Nepal - The Nepalese military deployed heavy machinery by helicopter to a dam under construction in the Himalayas on Sunday, as rescuers rushed to reach trapped workers in a tunnel. Four days after devastating floods swept down a mountain valley on the China-Nepal border, killing over 780 people, leaving more than 3,000 missing, and disrupting about 10% of Nepal's power generation capacity, the rescue mission intensified.

The Upper Trishuli complex, where authorities reported on Friday that approximately 350 individuals might be trapped, has become the primary focus. About 10,000 Nepali troops, along with specialists from China and India, have been mobilized for the tunnel rescue efforts. Dharam Raj Uprety, chief of Nepal’s national disaster management authority, acknowledged the challenge, stating, "It’s very tough because there’s a lot of debris and we cannot blast things to make our way through."

Despite the severe flooding that continued into the night, rescue operations persisted. The Nepali Prime Minister’s office posted a video on social media showcasing a helicopter transporting heavy machinery to the site. On Sunday, rescuers finally reached the entrance of a tunnel and commenced clearing debris, marking the first significant breakthrough.

Once access was secured, teams equipped with oxygen supplies and cameras entered the tunnel to assess conditions, search for survivors, and capture the first images from within.

The Nepali army shared a photograph of two men, covered in mud, who were pulled from the tunnel's mouth. Rescuers estimated that 35 to 40 people could be trapped inside Tunnel 3A, with the main working area located around 180 meters inside. However, securing this location could reveal the condition and precise location of any trapped workers.