11 Hydropower Projects Damaged by Bhotekoshi, Trishuli Floods; Tunnel Rescue Operations Continue

A total of 11 hydropower projects along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers were damaged by the devastating flash floods of August 26, while rescue efforts continue to evacuate workers trapped inside project sites and tunnels.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said 279 people had been rescued as of Sunday. Search and rescue operations have continued for the past four days, with the Nepali Army and other technical teams deployed to reach those still trapped in tunnel areas.

Giriraj Adhikari, Chief Executive Officer of Nepal Water and Energy Development Company, the developer of Upper Trishuli-1, said more than 250 workers had been rescued from the tunnel area, while nearly 300 people are still believed to be trapped inside the tunnel.

According to Adhikari, the 10-kilometre-long tunnel has three audit tunnels, where a team of workers, including Chinese nationals, remains trapped.

"There are three audit tunnels in the 10-km-long tunnel. A team of workers, including Chinese nationals, is trapped there. We are waiting for their rescue," Adhikari said.

He added that a Chinese team had been deployed to assess the situation, while a team of eight South Korean nationals also carried out an aerial inspection of the affected area.

According to the Nepali Army, a Chinese team conducted a search operation extending up to three kilometres inside the tunnel as part of the ongoing rescue efforts.

The operation has been challenging due to the condition of the tunnel and the impact of the flood, with authorities continuing to assess possible routes for reaching those still unaccounted for.

Meanwhile, 42 workers from the Upper Trishuli 3 'A' Hydropower Project remain out of contact following the disaster.

Acting Managing Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority, Madan Timsina, said rescue operations are currently underway in the affected areas.

A large number of personnel have been mobilized for the operation, while efforts are being made to create access to the tunnel by opening a passage through the crown head of the tunnel.

Search and rescue efforts are also continuing at the Upper Trishuli 3 'B' Hydropower Project in Nuwakot, where a team of Chinese experts has been working in coordination with the Nepali Army.

Meanwhile, preparations for rescue operations have progressed at the Mailungkhola, Chilime and Langtang hydropower projects in Rasuwa.

Authorities and project operators are continuing to coordinate with the Nepali Army, technical teams and foreign experts to locate and rescue workers who remain trapped or unaccounted for following the August 26 flash floods.

The scale of the damage across the hydropower projects has added further urgency to the ongoing search and rescue operations, with teams working to establish access to affected tunnels and project sites.