Rescue crews in Nepal are entering their fifth day of a grueling mission to reach scores of hydropower workers believed to be trapped inside flood-ravaged tunnels. After relentless rain and rising river levels initially forced a pause in operations, rescue teams have intensified their efforts at the Trishuli 3A and 3B project sites. Using heavy machinery, including drills, excavators, and hydraulic cutters, authorities have successfully bored into the mud-filled passages and deployed specialized cameras and air supplies to locate survivors. With hopes remaining that over 100 people could still be alive, international teams from India and China, alongside Nepal’s elite mountain rescue experts, are working around the clock under treacherous conditions.

The catastrophic floods, triggered by a glacial collapse near the China-Nepal border, have caused widespread devastation across the region’s energy infrastructure. Survivors have recounted harrowing experiences, describing a sudden, deafening roar as slush and debris submerged turbine floors, forcing them to scramble to higher ground. The scale of the disaster is significant, with over 900 workers initially reported missing and extensive damage sustained by numerous operational and under-construction power plants. While rescuers continue to navigate massive boulders and thick mud, the government remains committed to the search, acknowledging the immense difficulty of the terrain while pushing forward to bring the trapped workers home.