Kathmandu, Aug 31: Indian rescue specialists have joined Nepal’s emergency teams in a race against time to reach workers believed to be trapped inside hydropower tunnels following devastating floods in the Himalayan region.
Rescue teams are working through thick layers of mud, rocks and debris that have blocked access to several hydropower projects. Nepalese authorities have reported 933 people missing from hydropower sites, while the wider disaster has left thousands of people unaccounted for.
Indian and Chinese experts are supporting Nepal’s rescue efforts, with specialised knowledge being used to help locate and reach people inside the damaged tunnels. Excavators, searchlights and other equipment are being used to clear debris and create possible entry points.
The rescue operation is particularly challenging because of unstable terrain, continuing bad weather and the risk of further landslides and flooding. Authorities are carefully monitoring conditions while teams continue their search.
For families waiting anxiously for news, every cleared section of tunnel brings renewed hope of finding survivors. Rescue workers remain focused on reaching those still missing and bringing them safely back to their loved ones.
The disaster has caused widespread destruction across parts of Nepal, with the latest official figures putting the death toll at 903 and the number of missing people at 4,247. Nearly 21,000 security personnel are involved in the wider rescue and relief operation.
The ongoing response highlights the importance of international cooperation and specialised rescue capabilities during major natural disasters, particularly in difficult mountainous terrain.