The death toll from devastating flash floods in Nepal has surpassed 900, while hundreds of hydropower workers remain missing and are feared trapped inside tunnels and underground power facilities, as rescuers race against time to find survivors.
Nepali authorities reported 903 confirmed deaths, while thousands of people remain unaccounted for following catastrophic flooding along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river corridors near the Nepal-Tibet border. The disaster was triggered by a massive rock-and-ice avalanche that sent torrents of water and debris through communities and infrastructure.
The hydropower sector has been particularly hard hit. The Independent Power Producers’ Association of Nepal says 897 people associated with 11 hydropower projects remain unaccounted for, although authorities have not determined how many are trapped underground and how many may have been swept away or buried.
Several projects in the Trishuli corridor have suffered severe damage, with floodwater and mud burying tunnel entrances and underground powerhouses. At Upper Trishuli-3A, dozens of workers are believed to remain inside the underground facility, while hundreds were initially reported missing at other projects.
Rescue teams are using excavators and other heavy equipment to clear mud and debris blocking access to the tunnels. Nepal has also sought specialized international assistance, with China sending nine tunnel-rescue specialists to help with the operation. Rescuers have begun pumping air into some tunnels and using cameras to assess conditions underground.
The Nepal Army has already rescued hundreds of workers from several hydropower sites, including Upper Trishuli-1 and Langtang Khola, but access remains one of the biggest obstacles. Roads and bridges have been washed away, forcing authorities to rely on helicopters to transport personnel and heavy machinery to some locations.
Families of missing workers have expressed growing frustration as every passing hour reduces hopes of finding their loved ones alive. Some relatives say workers inside the underground facilities may have access to oxygen and water, raising hopes that survivors could still be rescued if teams reach them quickly.
The floods have also caused major damage to Nepal’s energy infrastructure. Around 430 megawatts of generating capacity from roughly 14 or 15 hydropower projects along the Trishuli corridor have been knocked offline, although officials say there is currently no immediate nationwide electricity shortage.
The disaster has devastated communities on both sides of the Nepal-China border, destroying homes, bridges, roads and power facilities while leaving thousands missing. Rescue operations remain dangerous because of unstable terrain, continuing flood risks and the possibility of further landslides.
Authorities say the immediate priority is locating missing people, rescuing those who may still be trapped underground and providing assistance to survivors.
The scale of the disaster has highlighted both Nepal’s dependence on hydropower and the growing vulnerability of Himalayan infrastructure to extreme natural hazards.
Swifteradio.com
