9 Days After Flood, 2 Men Are Pulled Alive From Mud-Filled Tunnels in Nepal

Lifelines Restored: Two Workers Rescued from Subterranean Tunnels Following Severe Nepal Flood

Rescuers located survivors using desperate cries for help emanating from a sludge-filled underground tunnel where employees of a hydroelectric facility had been trapped for nine days.

“We are coming!” shouted Lt. Col. Ganga Baral, an operation leader, urging hope. “Do not worry; the Nepali Army is upon us.”

On Friday morning, two mud-saturated survivors emerged from the tunnels and were hoisted into the open air—an extraordinary footage captured by the armed forces.

This improbable rescue offered a glimmer of hope a week-and-a-half after a catastrophic glacial collapse unleashed a torrent of mud and boulders, claiming over 1,300 lives in Nepal and Tibet, and leaving hundreds missing.

The men were extracted from a hydroelectric complex buried beneath the wreckage, forcing engineers to rely on satellite imagery to pinpoint the submerged location within the devastated terrain.

Witness Hirashova Maharjan, the wife of Kabir Maharjan, one of the recovered operators, described her partner’s profound disorientation following his repatriation to the Kathmandu capital general hospital for medical attention. Though he initially did not recognize her, Kabir’s condition has since improved significantly. “He is stable now,” she declared, overwhelmed with gratitude toward the military and government personnel.

The preceding flood peak occurred on August 26, when monsoon-driven waters swept away highways, bridges, and entire communities.

Specifically, Kabir and his colleague were saved from the Upper Trishuli 3A hydropower project, while a third victim, a mechanical engineer, was also recovered on that day; however, officials note that more than 40 other personnel may still be unaccounted for.

Surviving rescuers navigated harrowing depths, some describing the labor of crawling through thickened muck while others moved through inflatable dinghies built for rapid‑river traffic.

International specialist Arnold Dix, guiding the domestic response, explained the arduous engineering process. By comparing historical blueprints, modern satellite data, and obsolete field charts, his team identified potential “golden zones”—limited subterranean areas wherein a survivor might find refuge.

Concealed within the primary cable conduit linking the powerhouse to the grid, rescuers struggled against massive rock formations comparable to vehicles and constructed extensive drainage channels to eliminate stagnant water from below.

Once an opening was carved at the tunnel rim, crews emerged with the voice‑sick but defiant survivors; this was the precise junction where both men were discovered.

Although Mehat Singh, formerly known as Arun, served as the mechanical foreman and communicator through an oxygen mask, he emphasized tragic losses. “Only dozens remained when time grew short,” he stated, looking back at the control room where hundreds once waited.

Singh recited prayers repeatedly during the dark confinement, asking relentlessly, “Has this long drought ended?”

The rescue expedition proved grueling, illustrated by video showing personnel hacking through slick, blackened passages and employing inflatable rafts to skirt the floodwater.

Engineer Arnold Dix affirmed the difficulty, noting initial delays in surveying the Trishuli’s deep shafts required extensive coordination and remote sensing technology.

Nepal relies heavily on its vast hydroelectric sector, notably projects like the Trishuli rivers, where tunnel networks are vital for generation; these same systems suffered immense destruction.

Dix utilized ground mapping and seismic imaging to home in on the specific tunnel housing the men’s entrapment, bypassing collapsed sections with precision.

Ultimately, despite the grim toll of the disaster, the combined efforts of the army and technical experts reclaimed two precious lives, bringing closure to families such as Kabir’s.

Reporting was contributed by Alex Travelli, Binod Ghimire, and Sajal Pradhan.

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