Bhadra 22, 2083 | Kathmandu
Prime Minister Balendra Shah announced that search and rescue operations in various hydropower tunnels are continuing despite limited resources. Releasing the disaster management and rescue details via Facebook on Monday, he confirmed that efforts will persist until the very end to locate individuals who went missing from the project sites.
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Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project: Inability to land helicopters has caused difficulties in delivering rescue materials. However, the Nepal Army has managed to reach 275 meters inside the tunnel. A mini-excavator has been air-dropped to continue the search in the area.
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Langtang Hydropower Project: Rescue teams attempted to pierce the tunnel using gas welding, recovering two bodies in the process. Relief and rescue efforts remain ongoing at the site.
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Chilime Hydropower Project: Severe mud and swamp conditions have complicated rescue efforts. Following reconnaissance by an Indian expert team, operations commenced on Bhadra 14. Two bodies were discovered 90 meters inside the tunnel.
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Upper Trishuli 1 Project: Search operations began on Bhadra 10, with a joint team of the Nepal Army and Chinese experts taking over on Bhadra 14. The team encountered a water pool 200 meters inside the tunnel. Using thermal drones, they recovered three bodies and successfully rescued one person alive.
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Trishuli 3A Project: Rescue efforts started on Bhadra 13. After digging 25 meters using six excavators, an electrical cable tunnel was discovered. Teams have entered through this tunnel and are utilizing thermal imaging and infrared cameras to conduct searches.
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Trishuli 3B Project: Rescue personnel have penetrated 1.7 kilometers into the audit tunnel, where a vehicle was located. Additional equipment is currently being transported inside. Six residential buildings and one office building were buried by floods; excavation has reached a depth of 15 meters to uncover these structures.
