Nepal Rescue Teams Race to Save Hundreds Trapped in Hydropower Tunnels After Deadly Floods
SCMP · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Nepal's rescue operations entered a critical phase on Monday as teams worked around the clock to reach hundreds of people believed to be trapped inside blocked hydropower project tunnels following devastating floods that struck the Nepal-China border region last Wednesday. The disaster, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche that sent torrents of water, mud and debris cascading through Himalayan valleys, has left more than 900 people dead and nearly 5,000 missing, including 933 workers at 11 hydropower projects .
Key Points
- Death toll reaches 903 confirmed dead with 4,247 missing, including 592 foreign nationals
- 933 hydropower workers trapped across 11 projects in Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts; 272 already rescued
- Nepal requests international aid including DNA analysis technology and mortuary facilities
- Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal dismissed reports of refusing help as "false"
- Rescue teams use controlled blasts, excavators and searchlights to clear debris from tunnels
- China reports 16 dead and 546 missing in Gyirong County across the border
- Government cited cautious approach stemming from 2015 earthquake foreign aid experience
- Bodies decomposing rapidly in humid plains conditions, many buried in shallow graves
Why It Matters
The Nepalese government's reversal on accepting international assistance highlights the unprecedented scale of this disaster and the government's struggle to balance sovereignty concerns with the overwhelming need for specialized rescue capabilities. The fate of the 933 workers trapped in hydropower tunnels has become the focal point of rescue efforts, with officials describing the debris removal as a "big challenge" that could determine whether hundreds survive or perish .
The Nepalese government's reversal on accepting international assistance highlights the unprecedented scale of this disaster and the government's struggle to balance sovereignty concerns with the overwhelming need for specialized rescue capabilities. The fate of the 933 workers trapped in hydropower tunnels has become the focal point of rescue efforts, with officials describing the debris removal as a "big challenge" that could determine whether hundreds survive or perish .