Rescuers have intensified efforts to locate workers feared trapped inside tunnels of hydropower projects along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river corridor following Wednesday’s devastating flood.
A team of experts, backed by the Nepali Army, has been mobilised to rescue workers trapped inside tunnels of hydropower projects in Rasuwa and Nuwakot. At least 12 hydropower projects in the two districts have suffered damage from the catastrophic flood.
Workers and employees at Trishuli 3A, Trishuli 3B, Upper Trishuli 1 and Chilime have been out of contact since Wednesday. Their families have criticised the government for what they say was a delay in launching rescue operations.
Families of the missing workers continue to hope that their loved ones are alive inside the tunnels. Authorities, however, have yet to determine how many people remain trapped. More than 900 people are estimated to have been working at the affected hydropower projects.
After focusing on rescue operations elsewhere for three days, authorities began efforts on Friday night to clear the entrance to the Trishuli 3A tunnel and reach those believed to be trapped inside. Rescue workers have since been attempting to remove debris and mud blocking access.
According to security personnel involved in the operation, around 35 to 40 people are feared to be inside one of the tunnels. A 92-member Nepali Army team, along with technical experts, has been deployed for the rescue.
Although the tunnel entrance has been located, rescuers are struggling to enter because heavy machinery cannot be taken inside. Three excavators were initially used to clear the debris, but one broke down, leaving only two in operation. Even the remaining machines have limited capacity.
Rescuers say equipment weighing at least 22 tonnes may be required to operate inside the tunnel. As access remains difficult, authorities have also been preparing for controlled blasting to clear the passage.
A security official said that no signal had been received from the people believed to be trapped inside as of Sunday evening.
Similar concerns have emerged at the Trishuli 3B project, where workers and engineers are also feared to be trapped. A team from the Nepali Army’s Bhairab Nath Battalion has been kept on standby for the rescue operation. The tunnel entrance has been buried under mud, preventing rescuers from advancing.
It remains unclear how many people are inside the Trishuli 3B tunnel or whether they are still alive, according to security officials.
At the Upper Trishuli 1 project, Chinese experts have joined the rescue effort. The project is being developed under a joint contract involving Chinese and Korean companies. A joint team of nine Chinese and Nepali Army personnel has been mobilised for the operation, with the Chinese team arriving on Saturday.
Several people are also feared trapped inside the Chilime Hydropower project, although their exact number remains unknown. A joint team of 20 Indian and Nepali Army personnel has been deployed there.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, 633 people working at hydropower projects damaged by the floods remain unaccounted for. It is unclear, however, how many are trapped inside tunnels, how many were swept away by floodwaters and how many may have reached safer locations.
Workers and engineers at the Langtang Khola Hydropower Project, Mailung Khola Hydropower Company, Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project, Trishuli 3A, Trishuli 3B and Chilime Hydro are among those who remain out of contact. Chinese, Indian and Korean nationals working at the projects are also among the missing.
The floods have caused extensive human and physical losses at hydropower projects, in addition to destroying roads and settlements in the affected areas. Families of workers feared trapped inside tunnels have demanded faster and more effective rescue operations.
Nepali Army Spokesperson Brigadier General Rajaram Basnet said most of the affected hydropower projects had suffered damage to their powerhouses and that rescue operations had been hampered by heavy deposits of mud at tunnel entrances.
He said Nepali Army personnel were carrying out rescue operations with assistance from Chinese and Indian teams. However, mud deposited along the riverbanks, in some places extending up to 300 metres, has made it impossible to land helicopters to transport heavy equipment.
Mud has also accumulated up to 100 metres inside some tunnels, further complicating rescue efforts, according to Basnet.
Emergency preparedness and response expert Ratindra Khatri said Nepal lacks adequate specialised expertise for rescue operations inside hydropower tunnels.
He said even rescue teams are unaware of the exact location and layout of tunnels inside hydropower projects.
“If rescuers cannot enter because of the mud and cannot even determine the tunnel’s access point, how can a rescue operation be carried out?” Khatri questioned.
Security agencies also lack adequate information about tunnel networks inside hydropower projects, experts say. The absence of prior rescue drills and specialised equipment has further complicated the current operation.
Experts have urged the government to establish specialised tunnel-rescue teams and conduct regular emergency drills at hydropower projects. They have also stressed the need for planning, noting that roads and other access routes can themselves be destroyed during disasters.
