Sanjay Sah said he helped 40 to 45 of his colleagues escape after the Bhotekoshi flood struck the Trishuli-3A Hydropower Project—but ran out of time to save himself.
Rescued alive from the project’s tunnel 10 days after the disaster, Sah told Nepali Army personnel that he stayed behind to ensure others got out safely before becoming trapped himself.
“I work as an operator in the control room. Usually, there would be only four, five or six people inside, but there were around 40 to 45 people that day,” he told the Army. “Since I was in the control room, it was my responsibility to save everyone’s life. I couldn’t just run away on my own after such an accident. I had to make sure everyone was safe.”
Sah said he alerted his colleagues after the accident and urged them to flee.
“I told everyone there had been a major accident at the dam and asked them to get out. By the time I did that, I lost precious time and eventually could not get out myself. I got trapped. Around 40 to 50 workers were able to escape,” he said.
Sah, however, said he feared that others could still be trapped deeper inside the long tunnel.
“Only three or four people who were in contact with us were talking to each other and making noise nearby,” he said. “There could be people farther inside the powerhouse. Not everyone may have managed to escape. The tunnel is long, and if they are inside, the force of the water may have carried them farther in.”
Sah said he entered the tunnel on the day of the incident and that the accident occurred around 10 am. He said he spent the following days inside reciting prayers and hoping to survive.
Army officials congratulated Sah following his rescue, telling him that emerging alive after nine days was like being given a second life.
