Nepal death toll crosses 1,000 as rescuers race to find workers trapped in mud-filled tunnels

The death toll in Nepal due to devastating floods on the border with Tibet has surpassed 1,000, according to the country's disaster agency. Over 3,900 individuals remain missing, with more than 600 workers believed to be trapped in a network of mud-filled tunnels at hydropower sites along the Trishuli River. Engineers have been pumping air into the tunnels, but after finding no survivors in one tunnel, they withdrew.

Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah reported that 279 people have been rescued from the affected sites. The rescue efforts are led by an international team comprising Chinese and Nepalese military personnel, alongside experts from India, Korea, and Australia. Jiban Khadka, whose relative is trapped, expressed frustration with the slow progress, stating, "The longer it takes, the more our hope dies.

This operation must move much faster because every second is meaningful to us." Prime Minister Shah emphasized that the floods are not an ordinary event and mentioned the increasing risks posed by climate change in the Himalayan region. He called for the international community to address the issue of disasters resulting from climate change.

Australian engineer Arnold Dix, who is assisting remotely, noted the challenging conditions, calling the landscape "a lunar landscape" with massive boulders. Only 4% of the 900 bodies found have been identified, and makeshift burials are taking place in Chitwan, a district downstream from the flood's initial impact.