Nepal fury: Two rescued from tunnel nine days after deadly floods, more voices heard from inside
PTC News Desk: Two workers have been rescued from the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Station in Nepal's Rasuwa district, nine days after devastating flash floods hit the area. Rescue teams have also reported hearing more voices from deep inside the tunnel, raising hopes that more workers may still be alive.
Rastriya Swatantra Party lawmaker Shri Ram Neupane, who is also an engineer involved in the rescue operation, identified the rescued workers as Sanjay Sah, a mechanical foreman, and Kabir Maharjan, a mechanical supervisor.
Since the August 26 disaster, at least 40 people have reportedly been missing from the Trishuli-3A project. More than 900 workers are also still unaccounted for across at least six hydropower projects in Nepal.
Earlier, Neupane said rescue teams heard more than one voice while moving deeper into the tunnel. According to him, when rescuers called out to the workers not to panic and said they were trying to rescue them, someone inside responded.
Rescue operations have been difficult because of damaged infrastructure, bad weather and limited access to the underground facilities. The Nepali Army and Armed Police Force have stepped up efforts to reach the trapped workers.
Heavy machinery and specialised equipment are being used to remove mud and debris blocking the tunnels.
Bodies recovered from another hydropower
While the rescue operation has brought some hope, bodies have also been recovered from another hydropower project in the region.
At the Rasuwa Langtang Khola Hydropower Project, a Nepal Army search-and-rescue team recovered the bodies of two people from inside a tunnel. Rescuers had moved around 150 metres into the tunnel during the operation.
- With inputs from agencies
