Two Workers Rescued From Nepali Hydropower Tunnel Nine Days After Disaster

Two workers have been rescued alive after being trapped for nine days in a tunnel at a Nepali hydropower station, a rare piece of positive news following a massive natural disaster that has devastated the region and its critical energy infrastructure.

Sanjay Sah, a mechanical foreman, and Kabir Maharjan, a mechanical supervisor, were pulled from the wreckage of the Upper Trishuli 3A Hydropower Station on Friday, according to a Reuters report. In a video shared by Nepali authorities, Sah explained from a stretcher that he chose to stay behind to warn others when the disaster struck.

A Major Blow to Regional Infrastructure

The rescue highlights the immense human cost of the catastrophe, which leveled the valley with a wall of ice, rock, and debris. Officials believe at least 900 people remain trapped in tunnels connected to six separate hydropower projects along the Trishuli river, underscoring a severe blow to Nepal's energy sector.

Sah reported that while he was in the control room, there could have been 40 to 45 people in that section of the tunnel, far more than the usual four to six. He added that he believes other workers could still be trapped deeper inside the mountain complex.

The Scale of the Crisis

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The disaster has resulted in a large-scale humanitarian and economic crisis. The overall toll in Nepal, according to the report, includes:

• 1,287 people confirmed killed
• 5,083 people reported missing
• Thousands more displaced

Neighboring Tibet in China has also been impacted, with Chinese authorities reporting 21 deaths and 541 others missing. The destruction of homes, schools, and infrastructure points to a long and costly recovery for the region.

Sah and Maharjan, the first workers to be rescued from the hydropower projects since the initial hours of the disaster, have been transported to an army hospital in Kathmandu and are being treated in intensive care.