Story perspectives

Nepal Army Rescues 350 Hydropower Workers From Flooded Tunnels

9/1/2026

Summary

Nepali Army Rescues

The Nepali army is rescuing hydropower workers trapped in mud-buried tunnels after flash floods.
The army rescued 350 workers from the Rasuwa Hydropower Project.
Overall, 279 hydropower workers have escaped the flooded tunnels.
Disaster officials say 933 hydropower workers are missing, with at least 90 still believed trapped.
India deployed 18 officers, forensic teams and Bailey bridges, China sent tunnel-rescue experts, and the U.S. activated $3.6 million emergency aid.

Summary

Nepal Warns China

Nepal officials warned China has not shared glacier risk and water level data since the cooperation meeting earlier this year.
China’s foreign ministry declined to comment on Nepal’s data-sharing concerns.
UN climate chief Simon Stiell urged a global response, noting Nepal’s minimal emissions but severe climate impacts.
Scientists say Himalayas are warming nearly twice the global average, increasing glacier-melt and landslide risks.

History

Historical Context

On 26 January 1999 a magnitude-7.7 quake struck Gujarat, killing between 13,800 and 20,000 people and shaking an area from Chennai to Kathmandu for two to three minutes. The disaster prompted large rescue operations and set a precedent for trans-Himalayan cooperation, now echoed in Nepal’s Rasuwa tunnel rescue involving Nepali soldiers, Chinese engineers and U.S. aid.

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Nepali Army Rescues

The Nepali army is rescuing hydropower workers trapped in mud-buried tunnels after flash floods.
The army rescued 350 workers from the Rasuwa Hydropower Project.
Overall, 279 hydropower workers have escaped the flooded tunnels.
Disaster officials say 933 hydropower workers are missing, with at least 90 still believed trapped.
India deployed 18 officers, forensic teams and Bailey bridges, China sent tunnel-rescue experts, and the U.S. activated $3.6 million emergency aid.

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