Engineers use WhatsApp to guide Nepal’s flood rescue efforts

KATHMANDU: A network of engineers has harnessed the power of WhatsApp to coordinate rescue operations in Nepal following a devastating flash flood. The messaging platform has emerged as a vital tool, complementing helicopters and heavy machinery, in the search for survivors trapped within the tunnels of damaged hydropower plants.

The flood, triggered by a glacier collapse, swept through the Trishuli valley on August 26, leaving behind a trail of destruction and over 900 people reported missing from six hydropower plants, three of which were under construction. Engineers set up the WhatsApp group shortly after the disaster, providing real-time guidance to rescue teams as they grappled with the altered terrain, compromised tunnel structures, and the accumulation of debris within the tunnels.

Government officials and experts within the group exchange crucial information, such as layout drawings of power plants and access tunnels, to aid the rescue efforts. Despite the challenges posed by the flood, including the alteration of tunnel structures and the accumulation of debris, rescue workers persist in their search, aided by the valuable information shared through the WhatsApp group.