Full Breakdown
Nepal Flood Aftermath: Families Push for Faster Rescue of Missing Hydropower Workers
9/8/2026, 7:53:25 AM
The Flood and Tunnel Crisis
On August 26 a glacial collapse sent mud, rock and water into the Trishuli River along the Nepal-China border. The surge destroyed villages, washed away roads and triggered landslides that killed more than 1,300 people and left over 5,000 missing. The disaster also devastated run-of-the-river hydropower projects in the Trishuli basin. Authorities estimate about 900 workers from twelve projects are missing, with roughly 500 believed trapped inside tunnels. The Trishuli-3A and Trishuli-3B tunnels are among the most-affected sites.
Rescue Operations
The Nepalese army and civilian teams work in mud-filled valleys, but heavy silt and unstable ground have caused excavators to sink. Helicopters can only air-drop light equipment, and the narrow valley limits aerial access. Four people have been pulled alive in recent days: a Chinese national rescued on September 5, two hydropower workers on September 6, and a Nepali woman the same day. On September 7, army spokesman Raja Ram Basnet said the ground is hardening, allowing larger machines to be brought in, and announced that teams will reach the Trishuli-3B tunnel through the 3A tunnel “soon” and will work “even faster.”
Families’ Demands
On September 7, 2026 roughly 50 relatives gathered in Kathmandu’s Maitighar Mandala neighbourhood, holding photographs of loved ones who vanished. Sumana Chhetri Amatay, whose husband Sumesh Amatay, a senior geologist at the Trishuli plant, has been missing, asked why the army was not prioritising tunnel rescues. Her sister-in-law Reena Amatay, a healthcare assistant in London, urged the government to seek assistance from other countries if needed.
Official Responses
A new access route through the 3A tunnel has been identified and rescue teams will now “work even faster.” Phanindra Paudel of the National Emergency Operation Centre reiterated that “there are no government programmes organised as the rescue and search operation is still going on in the flood-hit areas.”
On-the-Ground Reports
A WhatsApp group of 140 family members was created two days after the flood to coordinate missing-person reports, share DNA samples and exchange rescue updates. Because many bodies remain unidentified, police have resorted to temporary mass burials; only a fraction of recovered remains have been handed over after DNA matching. Some relatives have performed symbolic cremations using effigies.
Data & Statistics
- 900 workers missing from hydropower projects.
- ? 500 believed trapped in tunnels.
- 121 possibly trapped specifically in the Trishuli-3B tunnel.
- > 1,300 dead and > 5,000 missing overall.
- 4 survivors rescued.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Nepal’s disaster agency cites more than 1,300 deaths, while Chinese officials report 40 deaths on the Tibet side. Missing-person counts also differ: Nepal lists over 5,000 missing, whereas China mentions 261 foreigners from 23 countries.
What’s Next
The government has asked the international community for high-capacity drones, specialized tunnel-rescue suits and additional heavy equipment. Reena Amatay’s call for foreign assistance reflects ongoing diplomatic outreach. Raja Ram Basnet’s promise of faster work suggests larger excavators will be deployed as the ground stabilises, while the National Emergency Operation Centre continues to coordinate rescue efforts across the affected hydropower sites.
