{
  "id": 7067903,
  "title": "‘How many days has it been?’: A Nepali survivor’s first words after surfacing from flooded tunnel",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/how-many-days-has-it-been-a-nepali-survivors-first-words-after",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-13T05:33:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2026/09/13/how-many-days-has-it-been-a-nepali-survivors-first-words-after-surfacing-from-flooded-tunnel/235034"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Saptari, Sept 13 - For 10 days, Nepali hydropower worker Sanjay Sah endured darkness in a flooded tunnel, drinking muddy water and losing all sense of time as he eagerly prayed for rescue. Upon his rescue on September 4, Sah's first words showed how disoriented the event had made him: \"When I was rescued, I asked how many days it had been.\" Initially, Sah thought only a few days had passed. He was among many workers affected by the destructive August 26 flood caused by a glacial mountain collapse on the China-Nepal border. The disaster claimed at least 1,429 lives and left over 5,640 people missing, primarily in Nepal. Despite warnings, the workers did not have enough time to evacuate due to rushing floodwaters, causing the tunnel to be inundated within minutes. Stranded, Sah clung to his faith, chanting prayers and feeling divine energy that helped him survive. He also had the solace of another trapped colleague, Kabir Maharjan, 45, whose voice provided a lifeline. After days of excavation, search teams finally reached the men and brought them to safety. Despite the relief, Sah felt a mix of happiness and sadness, as many of his friends remained trapped. He urged authorities to continue the rescue efforts, expressing hope that someone else might still be alive or that their friends could be identified and returned to their families.",
  "summary": "SAPTARI Sept 13 — For 10 days, Nepali hydropower worker Sanjay Sah survived in darkness inside a flooded tunnel, d...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}