Story perspectives

Rescue Search Continues for 900 Missing Hydropower Workers

9/9/2026

Summary

Paudel Visits Floods

President Ram Chandra Paudel toured flood-hit areas on the national day of mourning.
The government ordered flags at half-mast at offices and diplomatic missions nationwide.
Rescue teams are searching 12 hydropower sites where about 900 workers are missing and ~500 trapped.
Families protested near the prime minister’s office demanding faster searches for missing hydropower workers.
Samaritan’s Purse and Mercy Corps delivered relief kits to hundreds of families.

Summary

Khanal Seeks Funds

Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal asked the UN loss-and-damage fund for $20 million climate compensation.
Insurers have paid about $40 million for flood damage to over 20 privately owned hydropower plants in three years.
The UN fund has received $2.8 billion in requests but disbursed only around $400 million so far.
Renewable-energy expert Kushal Gurung advocated adding solar and wind to reduce reliance on high-risk mountain hydropower.

History

Historical Context

In April 2015 a magnitude-7.8 Gorkha quake killed about 9,000 people and prompted Operation Sankat Mochan, deploying the Nepalese army. The shock spurred a $4.4 billion multi-donor trust fund, a $1.5 billion World Bank package and a pledge to rebuild 1,200 hydropower sites. Today President Ram Chandra Paudel’s flood-relief tour and Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal’s $20 million UN loss-and-damage request continue that post-quake drive for faster aid and resilient infrastructure.

1 of 3

Paudel Visits Floods

President Ram Chandra Paudel toured flood-hit areas on the national day of mourning.
The government ordered flags at half-mast at offices and diplomatic missions nationwide.
Rescue teams are searching 12 hydropower sites where about 900 workers are missing and ~500 trapped.
Families protested near the prime minister’s office demanding faster searches for missing hydropower workers.
Samaritan’s Purse and Mercy Corps delivered relief kits to hundreds of families.

1 / 3