Nepalese rescue teams and the Nepali Army are working to free workers trapped in the Trishuli 3A hydropower project tunnel [1, 2].
The operation is critical because the trapped individuals are cut off by a surge of water, concrete, and debris, creating a race against time to provide oxygen and food.
Flash floods struck the site in central Nepal on Aug. 26 [3]. The surge of water and debris entered the tunnel, trapping personnel inside the infrastructure [1, 3]. Rescue efforts intensified between Aug. 28 and Aug. 30 as the Nepali Army began drilling into the tunnel to create access points [2].
Reports on the number of missing workers vary significantly. Some reports state that hundreds of people are trapped [1]. Other estimates suggest about 100 people are feared trapped [2, 3], while another report indicates the number is 42 [4].
The rescue operation involves specialized drilling equipment to widen the tunnel and reach the trapped workers [2, 4]. The Trishuli 3A, also known as the Upper Trishuli project, is a major energy initiative in the region [2, 5].
Rescue teams continue to operate at the site as they attempt to establish communication with those remaining underground [1].
“Flash floods caused water, concrete, and debris to surge into the tunnel, trapping workers inside”
The discrepancy in the number of trapped workers highlights the chaos often following flash flood events in remote mountainous regions. The Trishuli 3A project is a key part of Nepal's energy infrastructure, and this disaster underscores the extreme geological and climatic risks associated with hydropower construction in the Himalayas.
