Indian tunnel rescue experts join effort to reach trapped workers in Nepal's hydropower projects

Kathmandu: An 11-member Indian team, comprising medical personnel and tunnel-rescue specialists, arrived in Nepal on Saturday to provide specialised technical assistance to ongoing effort to rescue workers trapped or unaccounted for inside hydropower project tunnels following devastating flash floods.

The team, sent at the request of the Nepal government, reached the Trishuli area after conducting an aerial reconnaissance of the Chilime and Langtang areas and began assessing the situation for rescue operations, according to Nepalese authorities.

An 82-member joint security team comprising Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police personnel has been working since Friday night to clear debris and reach people believed to be trapped inside a tunnel at the Trishuli-3A Hydropower Project in Rasuwa near the Nepal-Tibet border.


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Rescue efforts have been complicated by mud and debris blocking the tunnel entrance and adverse weather conditions.

Nepali security forces have so far rescued 191 workers from tunnels at various hydropower projects, according to the Nepal Army.

However, a large number of workers remain unaccounted for. More than 100 people are believed to be trapped inside a tunnel at the under-construction Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project in Rasuwa, where rescuers have been struggling to clear mud and debris.

The flash floods swept through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river corridors on Wednesday, killing hundreds of people and damaging roads, bridges, settlements and hydropower infrastructure. The disaster has left thousands of people missing and severely disrupted access and communications in the affected areas.

Nepal has sought foreign expertise for DNA testing, forensic work and other specialised tasks.

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Kathmandu has also requested India and China to help construct 42 Bailey bridges to resume transport services in the flood-hit areas. The portable bridges are designed for fast assembly without heavy machinery or special tools.