Rescuers operating inside the tunnels of a stricken Nepali hydropower plant have heard voices from within, local officials informed news outlet CNN. The discovery marks the first sign of life eight days after massive flash floods and landslides trapped hundreds of workers across several Himalayan energy facilities.
This breakthrough offers hope during a round-the-clock rescue effort carried out under treacherous conditions. Emergency crews at the Trishuli 3A hydropower plant have been drilling into a tunnel to reach 42 unaccounted-for workers. Bipin Regmi, the police chief for Nuwakot district, said that “rescuers heard voices,” and noted that a specialised medical team was dispatched to the scene. The tunnel leading to the underground powerhouse spans more than four kilometers (2.5 miles), where dozens were working when sudden floodwaters struck.
The catastrophic flooding along Nepal’s Trishuli River killed more than 1,200 people across the country. Thick, cement-like torrents submerged the river basin and surrounding infrastructure, leaving behind severe destruction. The trapped workforce includes foreign nationals from China, South Korea, and India, intensifying international concern as rescue operations stretched past a week.
Speaking to CNN, Indian Army Colonel Parikshit Mehra highlighted the severe psychological and physical toll on individuals trapped underground. Leading a team of specialised troops at the site, Mehra explained that “the first 48 hours are the most crucial” in complex subterranean rescues.
“People who are stuck tend to panic much more than when they are outside in the open,” Mehra added. He observed that total darkness causes individuals to become disoriented within 24 to 25 hours, adding that “beyond that, (after) 48 hours, you start hallucinating. And then I think from there on it’s always a fight.”
Despite the extreme timeframe and conditions inside the flooded complex, Mehra noted that survival remains possible under extraordinary circumstances, concluding that “there have been miracles.” Rescuers continue working through the complex network to clear blockages and establish a secure route to the survivors.( _WION_)
