Two people were rescued alive on Friday from a tunnel connected to a hydropower station on Nepal’s Trishuli River.
The rescue came nine days after a massive ice, rock and mudslide swept through the region, killing more than 1,200 people and displacing tens of thousands.
Two Workers Rescued From Nepal Hydropower Tunnel
Officials believe the August 26 collapse of a glacier in the upper Trishuli River area trapped at least 900 people inside tunnels linked to six hydropower projects.
The two men rescued on Friday were the first survivors recovered from the hydropower facilities.
They were identified as Sanjay Sah, a mechanical foreman, and Kabir Maharjan, a mechanical supervisor.
Nepal’s Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha’s office confirmed their identities in a statement.
Rescue Teams Pull Survivors to Safety
Videos and photographs released by Nepali authorities showed Maharjan being pulled from a hole in the ground as people nearby cheered.
He was then placed on a stretcher.
Sah was carried out on the back of a rescue worker and taken to a nearby medical tent. His face and clothes were covered in mud.
Army doctors examined him close to the tunnel and appeared to provide oxygen while checking his vital signs.
An army official said Sah’s vital signs were normal.
One Survivor Faces Serious Injuries
According to an aide to Nepal’s energy minister, Maharjan was unable to move his arms and legs after the rescue.
Sah’s injuries were described as less serious.
Both men were expected to be transferred to a hospital in Kathmandu for further treatment.
Kabir Maharjan’s brother, Amir, said the family had not yet received official confirmation but had been told to travel to the hospital.
He said the family was extremely happy after hearing reports that Kabir had been found alive.
Nepal Disaster Leaves Thousands Missing
The disaster has caused widespread destruction across communities near Nepal’s border with China’s Tibet region.
At least 1,252 people were reported dead in Nepal after homes, roads and schools were swept away.
More than 4,200 people remained missing, while thousands of others were displaced.
Chinese authorities reported 21 deaths in Tibet, with another 541 people listed as missing.
Rescue Operations Continue Along Trishuli River
Search teams continue to work around the hydropower projects in an effort to locate more survivors.
Heavy machinery and helicopters are being used throughout the rescue operation.
Experts have also been providing guidance to rescue workers through a WhatsApp group.
The communication network has become an important tool for coordinating search efforts and sharing technical advice as teams continue working through difficult conditions.
