Nepal teams seek hundreds trapped in hydropower tunnels after floods

Nepal's rescue teams, supported by Chinese and Indian experts, worked into the night to reach hundreds of people trapped inside blocked hydropower project tunnels following last week's devastating Himalayan flood. The massive deluge, blamed on a glacier collapse, killed nearly 800 people and left over 3,000 missing, with more than 900 fatalities occurring at hydropower facilities alone.

Bodies, many unidentified, were buried in shallow graves due to the humid weather. Nepali officials focused on rescuing hundreds of workers trapped in about half a dozen tunnels blocked by mud and rock debris. Rescue operations involved earth-moving equipment, soldiers using torchlight to explore tunnels, and soldiers scanning a large pit for potential entry points.

The Red Cross estimated that over 90,000 people were affected by the disaster, which China attributed to climate change effects.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah described the flood as an "unprecedented and devastating natural disaster," emphasizing the challenges in assessing the damage due to adverse weather, difficult terrain, and ongoing risks. Nearly 21,000 security personnel, along with civilian workers and volunteers, participated in rescue efforts. As of Sunday night, 788 deaths and 2,500 missing people had been reported, including over 900 at hydropower projects.

In China, 16 people were killed in Gyirong County, and 546 were missing, with 261 foreign nationals from 23 countries unaccounted for in Tibet.

Despite Nepal's reluctance to seek foreign assistance, the country turned to India and China for their expertise in tunnel rescue operations. However, concerns arose over a lack of data sharing regarding glacier risks and water levels, potentially hindering future disaster preparedness. China mobilized more than 2,100 rescue workers and allocated $33 million to support relief efforts, using life-detection equipment to search for the missing.

While rescue operations resumed on Monday due to improved weather, authorities faced challenges reopening the tunnels due to the extensive amount of debris deposited.