Key facts
- Nepalese authorities believe dozens of workers trapped in the Rasuwagadhi hydropower plant may still be alive.
- Flash floods, triggered by a glacier collapse, have left at least 639 workers missing from hydropower projects.
- Rescue efforts are concentrated on tunnels where air pockets are believed to have allowed survivors to remain alive.
- International experts are assisting Nepal in its search and rescue operations.
- The disaster has significantly impacted Nepal's electricity generation capacity and caused widespread destruction.
Nepalese authorities expressed confidence on Wednesday that dozens of workers trapped in the Rasuwagadhi hydropower plant could still be alive, more than a week after deadly flash floods caused by a melting glacier collapse inundated tunnels. The floods, which reached speeds of up to 100mph, have killed at least 1,252 people and left over 4,200 missing, destroying villages, bridges, and hydropower facilities along the Bhote Koshi and Triushuli rivers.
Rescue efforts are increasingly focused on the tunnels, where officials believe workers may have survived due to air pockets. Amhsu Kiran Shahi, a board member of the Nepal electricity authority, stated that they are confident 46 people are alive in an underground room at the Rasuwagadhi plant, citing the availability of food and water. However, families of the trapped workers, like Durga Gurung whose brother Jhappad Bhujel is among those missing, expressed distress over the lack of information and the slow pace of rescue operations.
Major rescue operations are underway at four hydropower projects, with the Rasuwagadhi hydroelectric project and the Upper Trishuli 3A facility identified as having the strongest prospects for survivors due to the presence of air inside the tunnels. The army, with assistance from international experts from India, China, South Korea, and Australia, is using heavy equipment and technology to access the blocked tunnels. The floods have debilitated or destroyed 11 hydropower plants, impacting approximately 10% of Nepal's electricity generation capacity, and the estimated cost of recovery is over $5 billion.