Two Workers Rescued Alive from Nepal Hydropower Tunnel After Nine Days
Two workers were rescued alive from a hydropower tunnel in Nepal, nine days after a glacier collapse killed over 1,200 people.
In a rare piece of good news amid the devastation caused by a glacier collapse in Nepal, two workers were pulled out alive on Friday from a tunnel at the Upper Trishuli 3A Hydropower Station. The rescue came nine days after a massive slide of ice, rock, and mud swept through the Trishuli River valley, killing more than 1,200 people and displacing tens of thousands.
The two survivors have been identified as Sanjay Sah, a mechanical foreman, and Kabir Maharjan, a mechanical supervisor. According to a statement from the office of Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, the men were trapped in the tunnel since the disaster struck on August 26.
An aide to the energy minister said that while Sah's injuries are not critical, Maharjan is unable to move his hands and legs. Both are being transported to a hospital in Kathmandu for further treatment.
Officials and rescue workers believe that the glacier collapse may have trapped at least 900 people in tunnels belonging to six different hydropower projects along the Trishuli River. The rescue of Sah and Maharjan has brought a glimmer of hope to families still waiting for news of their loved ones.
Amir Maharjan, Kabir's brother, said he had not received any official confirmation but had been told to go to the hospital. "I have been hearing from the news that my brother has been found. The entire family is very happy," he said.