Two Workers Pulled Alive from Nepal Hydropower Tunnel After a Week‑Long Ordeal

Pokhara, Nepal – The dense, mud‑filled tunnel of the Trishuli 3A hydropower plant finally gave up two survivors on Friday, nine days after unprecedented floods ripped through the Himalayas. Mechanical foreman Sanjay Sah, 30, and supervisor Kabir Maharjan, 45, emerged coughing, covered in sludge, but alive.

Rescue crews had been listening for faint shouts since the night the floodwaters slammed into the tunnel, sealing it off and burying dozens of workers. The army, police and a handful of foreign experts worked around the clock, drilling, blasting and moving earth with the sort of relentless determination you only see when lives hang in the balance.

In a shaky video recorded at a Kathmandu hospital, Sah explained how he survived. “I spent my days chanting mantras, just to keep hope alive,” he said, his voice hoarse but steady. He recalled hearing others calling for help, and even trying to shepherd them toward the exit. “My job is to keep everyone safe. I helped evacuate as many as I could, but I didn’t get a chance to get out myself,” he added.

Both men were air‑lifted to a hospital in the capital, where relatives gathered, tears mixing with relief. Amir Maharjan, the brother of Kabir, could barely speak. “We are grateful to God,” he whispered, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Officials say roughly 557 workers are still missing from the Trishuli site, with an estimated 115 trapped inside the main tunnel. Across the country, more than 900 workers are unaccounted for at a dozen hydropower projects, many buried under mud, debris and collapsed tunnel sections.

The rescue effort has been massive: 75 army personnel, 18 police officers, plus engineers and demolition experts. Controlled blasts have been set off to clear pathways, while excavators pry at concrete that the floodwater ripped apart. Weather remains a cruel opponent, with lingering rains making the mountainous terrain even harder to navigate.

While the two survivors bring a flicker of optimism, the tragedy is far from over. A separate operation at the Langtang Hydropower Project recovered two bodies, underscoring how many lives are still at stake.

Authorities estimate the floods, triggered by a glacier collapse on the Nepal‑China border, caused about 387.5 billion Nepalese rupees (roughly $2.5 billion) in damage. The death toll stands at 1,294, with over 5,000 people still missing. A national day of mourning is slated for Sept 7, with flags at half‑staff.

Beyond Nepal, the disaster rippled into Tibet, where at least 31 people died and 531 are missing. Over 800 foreign nationals, including dozens of Americans, remain unaccounted for in the region.

For now, the rescued workers’ stories offer a brief, humanizing pause amid the catastrophe—a reminder that even when hope seems buried deep, a single voice chanting in the dark can keep the light alive.