Nepal rescuers blast hillside in search of hydropower workers as families wait anxiously

The death toll in Nepal from severe floods along the border with Tibet has surpassed 1,000, with over 3,900 people still unaccounted for, including more than 600 workers potentially trapped in underground tunnels at hydropower sites along the Trishuli River. Engineers have been utilizing compressed air to access these tunnels, but withdrew after discovering no survivors.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah reported that 279 individuals have been rescued thus far. The rescue mission is being coordinated by an international force comprising Chinese and Nepalese military forces, as well as experts from India, Korea, and Australia. Anushila Bhandari, whose engineer husband Aurus Bhandari is missing, expressed her hope that he might still be alive due to an oxygen source inside one of the tunnels.

Sita Pandey, whose husband was working at a plant when the floods occurred, voiced her belief in his survival, citing the presence of an oxygen system inside. Nepalese authorities emphasize the urgency of the operation, noting that every second counts for the trapped individuals. Jiban Khadka, whose relative remains trapped, highlighted the frustration surrounding the slow progress.

The disaster has prompted Nepalese leader Shah to urge the international community to address the escalating risks in the Himalayan region, attributing the situation to climate change. A former head of the International Tunnelling Association, Arnold Dix, expressed optimism that the identification of the tunnels could facilitate easier access and recovery efforts.

Only 4% of the 900 bodies recovered so far have been identified through DNA testing. In Chitwan, a district downstream from the flood epicenter, makeshift burials are underway for the unidentified victims.