Rescue breakthroughs buoy teams as tough search continues in Nepal

After a 12-day search operation, Nepali rescuers made remarkable breakthroughs on Sunday, buoyed by the extraordinary rescue of four survivors. The catastrophic floods, triggered by a glacial and mountain collapse on the China-Nepal border, claimed at least 1,385 lives and left over 5,500 people missing across both countries.

On Saturday, rescuers added to the list of miraculous survival stories by pulling a Chinese man alive from a hydropower tunnel, followed by a 64-year-old Nepali woman, Chandrika Shrestha, from her mud-covered home. Prime Minister Balendra Shah hailed Shrestha's rescue as "a ray of hope for the entire nation."

The rescue operation has been fraught with challenges, including treacherous geography, adverse weather conditions, and limited connectivity. Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha described the search and rescue efforts as ongoing despite these obstacles.

Rescuers have found three survivors in hydropower tunnels, where the government initially feared over 100 workers might be trapped. One of these was Rajendra Dawadi, a school principal who evacuated hundreds of students just in time, saving their lives. His quick thinking was crucial, as he said, "If the information was wrong, we would lose a day of schooling; but if it was true, we were going to lose our lives."

The disaster has taken a heavy toll in Tibet, with the death toll rising from 31 to 43, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua. A further 519 people remain missing in the affected region.