Nepal rescuers pull two men alive from hydropower tunnel nine days after flood

September 4, 2026 at 01:23 PM2 min

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Rescuers pulled Sanjaya Shah and Kabir Maharjan alive from a blocked hydropower tunnel in Nepal on Friday, nine days after a flash flood buried the entrance. The operation at Trishuli 3A Hydropower Station required explosives, water drainage, and a hand-dug passage through debris. The flood has killed at least 1,200 people and left hundreds missing.

Key Facts

Sanjaya Shah and Kabir Maharjan were pulled alive from the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Station tunnel on Friday, nine days after the flood.
The flood has killed at least 1,200 people and displaced tens of thousands.
At least 900 people were trapped in tunnels of six hydropower projects along the Trishuli River after a glacier burst on August 26.
Rescuers used explosives, excavators, and pumping machines to clear the tunnel and drain water before reaching the survivors.
Arnold Dix, president of the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association, advised the Nepalese authorities during the rescue.

Tunnel Rescue Operation

Arnold Dix, president of the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association, described the rescue as 'layer upon layer of miracles'. The tunnel entrance was completely buried by the avalanche, forcing rescuers to locate it using old topographic maps, satellite imagery, helicopter video, and surface markers such as power poles. Rescuers then dug through mud and rocks, some larger than cars, and used explosives to clear the blockage despite the risk of harming trapped survivors. Nepalese army personnel managed the explosions with precision to avoid destabilising the tunnel, Dix said. The team also dug trenches from the tunnel to the river to drain water that had filled the passage.

Flood Impact

The flash flood on the Nepal-Tibet border killed at least 1,200 people and displaced tens of thousands. A glacier burst in the upper Trishuli River on August 26 triggered the disaster. At least 900 people were trapped in tunnels of six hydropower projects along the river, according to officials and rescuers. The Trishuli 3A Hydropower Station was one of several stations hit by the flood.