Rescuers in Nepal pulled a Chinese man and a woman alive in separate operations, according to Associated Press, ten days after devastating flash floods struck the Himalayan region. The disaster, which began on August 26 and was likely triggered by a glacier collapse, swept away buildings, roads, and bridges along the border between Nepal and China.
Survivors Pulled From Debris and Tunnels Ten Days After Deadly Floods
The latest operations brought the total number of surviving workers pulled from the Trishuli hydropower project to three, following the rescue of two Nepali workers on the previous day from the Trishuli 3A plant. The Chinese national, identified in reports as Luhaitao, was saved from a 225-meter (approximately 738-foot) tunnel at the Upper Trishuli 1 Hydropower Project by a joint rescue team consisting of Nepali military personnel and South Korean disaster-response specialists. Footage broadcast by CBS News and Chinese state broadcaster CCTV captured rescuers carrying the man out of the tunnel before he was loaded onto a helicopter for a medical assessment accompanied by an army medic.
Hydropower Projects Focus of Desperate Underground Searches
Search and rescue operations have increasingly concentrated on 12 hydropower projects across Nepal, where authorities report that about 900 workers remain missing and roughly 500 are believed to be trapped inside various underground tunnels filled with mud, water, and debris. Specialized international teams from countries including India, China, South Korea, and the United States have deployed to search through damaged structures.
The underground rescue efforts carry severe risks for both victims and responders. Experts noted that responders must navigate below the flood-plain level, facing the constant danger of rising water inundating tunnels from behind while breaking through rock ahead. Despite these hazards, the survival of workers more than a week after the initial torrent has provided a dramatic morale boost to multi-national rescue teams operating across dozens of damaged sites.
Woman Rescued From Mud-Filled House in Nuwakot
In a separate operation in the flood-hit Nuwakot town, a woman was rescued alive from a house, according to Nepal’s army spokesperson. Official reports identified her as 60-year-old Chandika Shrestha, who was found unconscious on the upper floor of a four-storey house buried in debris in Betrawati, The Hindu reported.
A nine-member Armed Police Force team located the woman covered in mud, provided her with bottled water, and wrapped her in a gray blanket before pulling her to safety. She was initially airlifted by helicopter to the Nepali Army’s Maithili Barracks in Trishuli for treatment before being transferred to Kathmandu.
Mounting Casualties and Humanitarian Toll
The devastating floods have resulted in a staggering humanitarian and infrastructural crisis across the region. According to Nepal’s disaster management agency, at least 1,300 people were killed, and more than 5,000 remain missing. Flooding infrastructure damage across the country was estimated at hundreds of billions of rupees.
International assistance has poured into the disaster zone to support local authorities. Teams from Australia have deployed disaster response specialists, humanitarian workers, and federal police victim identification experts to assist on the ground as recovery operations continue.
