Rescuers in Nepal pull 2 people alive from the debris 10 days after devastating floods

KATHMANDU, September 5 - Rescuers in Nepal successfully retrieved a Chinese national from a tunnel and a local woman from her partially submerged home, reigniting hope as emergency response teams intensified their search for thousands missing following catastrophic floods that struck 10 days ago. A rescue team, comprising members of the Nepal Army and foreign experts, plucked the Chinese man, identified as Luhaitao, from 225 meters inside the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project tunnel in Rasuwa district.

A military statement revealed the man appeared alert, though his hands were encased in thick, wet mud. His health status was being evaluated, and further search and rescue operations remained ongoing. Meanwhile, 64-year-old Chandrika Shrestha was rescued from her damaged home in Nuwakot district by members of Nepal’s Armed Police Force.

She was airlifted to Kathmandu for medical treatment. A video captured by the police showed only part of her house, with lower floors submerged in thick sludge. In recent days, two Nepali hydropower workers were also rescued at the Trishuli 3A tunnel, where searches were ongoing across several sites. Over 12 hydropower projects had been devastated by the floods.

As of now, 1,344 bodies have been recovered in Nepal, while approximately 5,000 people remain missing. In China, state media reported 31 fatalities and 531 people still missing, raising the overall death toll to 1,375 and the number of missing individuals to over 5,500. Thousands of survivors have sought refuge in relief camps. Initially, the government estimated that more than 100 workers could be alive inside the multiple tunnels.

International experts from India, China, Australia, and South Korea joined Nepali rescuers in the search for survivors in the blocked tunnels. Drones were employed to deliver essential supplies and transport bodies in the high-altitude and difficult-to-reach areas. The United Nations has warned that the "magnitude of the destruction" poses significant challenges in delivering aid, launching a $50 million appeal to assist over 84,000 people affected by the disaster.

With morgues overflowing, authorities have buried 1,030 bodies in mass graves after collecting DNA samples for future identification. Prime Minister Balendra Shah assured that "safe and comfortable accommodation" would be provided for the thousands of displaced individuals living in temporary relief camps. He vowed to "once again create an environment where you can dream about and build your future."