Miracle Rescue: 2 Workers Pulled Alive From Nepal Tunnel After 9 Days
- Two workers survived nine days inside a flooded tunnel at the Trishuli 3A hydropower construction site in Nepal
- The rescued worker told officials that more people were still alive inside the tunnel, giving rescuers renewed hope
- Over 500 workers from the project remain missing, with around 115 believed to still be trapped underground
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Briefly News as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Source: Getty Images
NEPAL - Two workers have been pulled alive from a collapsed hydropower tunnel in Nepal after spending nine days trapped underground following catastrophic flooding in the region.
Reports from the Associated Press indicate that rescuers reached the men at the Trishuli 3A hydropower construction site on Friday after hearing voices coming from inside the tunnel that morning.
The sounds helped teams pinpoint the exact location of the survivors. The first man was carried out covered in mud, on a rescuer's shoulder, as captured by local television footage. Both were identified as mechanical workers, one a foreman and the other a supervisor.
Army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet confirmed the first rescue, and Nepalese lawmaker Shri Ram Neupane announced the second shortly afterwards on Facebook.
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
Families hold onto hope
Officials confirmed that both men were in stable condition and were airlifted to a hospital in Kathmandu. For families who had spent more than a week in agonising uncertainty, the news brought an overwhelming sense of relief.
Amir Maharjan, whose brother was among those rescued, described the moment his family received the news.
"I can't explain what we are feeling at the moment. We are just grateful to God," he told The Associated Press, adding that the family was on their way to the hospital.
The rescued worker also told officials that other people remained alive inside the tunnel, a revelation that has energised the ongoing search effort considerably.
View video of the rescue here:
115 workers still believed trapped
The Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal confirmed that at least 557 workers from the Trishuli 3A project are unaccounted for. Approximately 115 of them are believed to be inside the tunnel along the Trishuli River.
The rescues come as Nepal continues to grapple with the aftermath of devastating floods that tore through communities, swept away entire villages and left hundreds of people missing across the country. Rescue teams are pressing forward in a race against time to locate and reach the remaining workers believed to still be alive underground.
Glacier ruled responsible for Nepal floods
Briefly News previously reported that a massive glacier collapse in the mountains near the Nepal-Tibet border was the cause of the powerful floods that causes such destruction. Reports indicate the glacier triggered a powerful torrent of water, mud and debris that tore through villages. The collapse was so forceful it registered as a 5.2-magnitude seismic event, initially mistaken for an earthquake by authorities. Scientists warn communities living below glaciers face growing risks as global warming causes ice to retreat at an accelerating rate.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
