Two rescued alive from Nepal hydropower tunnel after nine days

Two workers, identified as mechanical foreman Sanjay Sah and mechanical supervisor Kabir Maharjan, have been rescued alive after being trapped for nine days in a tunnel at the Upper Trishuli 3A Hydropower Station in Nepal. Both were airlifted to the Army Hospital in Kathmandu. The Nepal Prime Minister's office stated that while Mr. Maharjan is in critical condition, Mr. Sah's injuries are not severe. Rescue efforts are ongoing for an estimated 39 others believed to be trapped in the same tunnel network.

The disaster was triggered by a glacier collapse that sent a torrent of ice, rock, and mud down the Trishuli River near the border with China. The event has resulted in more than 1,250 deaths, with over 4,200 people still reported missing. Amshu Kiran Shahi, a board member of the Nepal Electricity Authority, noted that rescue teams took six days to reach the tunnel due to the entrance being buried by debris.

Search operations continue across the hydropower sites along the river. Meanwhile, UNICEF has warned that at least 22,000 children in the affected districts are in urgent need of safe drinking water and sanitation. The destruction of water systems and hygiene facilities has significantly increased the risk of waterborne diseases.

According to Nepal's disaster authority, the catastrophe has caused at least $2.56 billion in damage to infrastructure and housing, with approximately 20,000 homes requiring reconstruction. International aid teams from the UAE and Australia have arrived in Nepal to support the ongoing search and relief operations.