Two people pulled alive from Nepal hydropower tunnel

Kathmandu, September 4 - Two individuals managed to survive after being trapped for nine days in a tunnel linked to a hydropower station on the Trishuli River in Nepal, following a devastating ice, rock, and mud slide. The slide, which occurred on August 26, claimed over 1,200 lives and left tens of thousands displaced. Officials and rescue workers estimate that at least 900 people were trapped in tunnels associated with six hydropower projects along the river.

The two workers rescued, Sanjay Sah and Kabir Maharjan, are the first to be pulled alive from the hydropower projects. Maharjan, a mechanical supervisor, was pulled from the ground amid cheers from bystanders, while Sah, a mechanical foreman, was carried out on the back of a worker. Both men were treated by army doctors at a rescue tent near the tunnel, with their vital parameters appearing normal.

The injured Maharjan is unable to move his hands and legs, while Sah's injuries are not critical. The two will be transported to a hospital in Kathmandu.