Rescue operation searches for 900 workers at hydropower plants in Nepal after disaster

Rescue teams stepped up searches on Monday for some 900 hydropower workers in Nepal who remain missing after floods ravaged towns and villages in the Himalayas near the Tibetan border in China. Part of the missing may be trapped inside tunnels of power generation projects.

According to information from the Nepalese Army rescue teams, approximately 121 of the missing workers may be in tunnels hit by the disaster. Other employees worked in different areas of the hydroelectric complexes and have not yet been located.

Rescues hold hope for survivors

The mobilization gained new momentum after people were found alive several days after the floods. In recent days, workers have been removed from hydroelectric tunnels, including a Chinese citizen. A Nepalese woman was also found alive after remaining buried in her residence.

The teams work with the possibility of air pockets and internal spaces allowing victims to survive longer inside the tunnels.

At the Chilime hydroelectric project in the Rasuwa district, first responders use specialized equipment to try to reach the missing. The region is among the areas most affected by flooding.

The disaster left more than 1,300 people dead.

The tragedy occurred on August 26, when the collapse of part of a glacier caused a large amount of mud, rocks and water to move to a river in the region of the Nepal-Tibet border.

The force of the current destroyed communities, blocked roads and hit infrastructure facilities. According to data released on Monday, at least 1,380 people have died, while more than 5,500 are still missing considering the affected areas in Nepal and Tibet.

Nepal has also requested international assistance to expand the capacity of the operations. Among the equipment requested are high-capacity drones, structures for temporary bridges, kits for DNA tests and specific equipment for rescues in tunnels.

China also maintains operations

On the Chinese side of the border, teams continue to search for missing persons in Tibet. Chinese officials said new bodies were found over the weekend and said search operations would continue.

On Monday, Nepal also marked the 13th day since the tragedy, a date that holds special significance in Hindu mourning rites. Public buildings and diplomatic representations kept the national flag at half-master in honor of the victims.

The searches remain concentrated mainly in hard-to-reach areas and hydroelectric complexes, while family members await information on hundreds of workers still missing.