Nepal races to free workers buried in flood-blocked hydropower tunnels

Rescue crews in Nepal, aided by experts from China and India, are working to reach hundreds of workers believed trapped in tunnels at 11 hydropower sites after a devastating flood struck the Himalayan region last week. The flood, triggered by a glacier collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border, has killed over 900 people and left nearly 5,000 missing. Teams have recovered three bodies from two tunnels, but heavy debris and mud continue to hamper efforts to access other sections.

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The flood struck along the Nepal-Tibet border after a glacier collapse unleashed a torrent of ice, rock, and mud through valley communities. Rescue operations at the 11 affected hydropower sites involve controlled blasts, excavators, and searchlights to clear tunnel entrances, though heavy debris deposits continue slowing progress. The Nepali army has confirmed three bodies recovered from two tunnels so far.

The human toll spans both sides of the border, with Nepal reporting 903 deaths and 4,247 missing, while China's Gyirong County recorded 16 deaths and 546 missing. The Red Cross estimates over 90,000 people affected. Prime Minister Balendra Shah called the event unprecedented, with nearly