Over 500 remain trapped inside tunnels at hydropower sites in Nepal

At least 500 individuals are believed to be trapped inside tunnels at hydropower construction sites in Nepal, following the recent flood disaster. Rescue teams and specialized equipment are being deployed to search for those who may be inside the tunnel networks. Despite efforts to pump air into some tunnels, contact with anyone inside the tunnels has not yet been established.

Approximately 900 people remain unaccounted for at these construction sites in the flood-stricken Trishuli River area. The Nepali armed forces have initiated searches in 19 hydroelectric power tunnels, including those at the Upper Trishuli 1 hydropower project where nine South Korean workers went missing. Oxygen supply efforts are underway, with Nepal's Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation coordinating these efforts.

International assistance has also been sought, with rescue teams from India and China joining the search at Rasuwa and Nuwakot hydropower facilities. China deployed 681 fire rescue team members, 13 rescue dogs, 113 vehicles, and 47 drones, while Nepal's government has requested help with survivor detection technology and genetic analysis.