Rescue teams in Nepal have pulled two workers alive from a hydropower tunnel nine days after catastrophic floods swept through the country. The floods, which were likely triggered by a glacier collapse, have left more than 1,000 people dead and thousands more missing.
Searchers heard men's voices in the tunnel on Friday morning and were able to locate and rescue the two workers. Images distributed by the Nepal Army show a rescuer carrying one of the workers on his back while soldiers on either side helped. The breakthrough has raised hopes that the dozens of others believed to be trapped will be rescued.
According to officials, about 115 people are believed to remain trapped in the Trishuli 3A tunnel alone, while a total of 900 workers are missing from 12 hydropower plants in Nepal, with about 500 of them thought to be trapped in tunnels.
The two rescued workers were flown to a hospital in Kathmandu, where one of them was listed in critical condition. The men, identified as a mechanical foreman and a mechanical supervisor at the Trishuli 3A plant, were said to be grateful to be alive. Their families expressed relief and gratitude, with one brother saying "I can’t explain what we are feeling at the moment. We are just grateful to God."
The rescue efforts are ongoing, with officials expressing hope that more people will be found alive. The floods have caused widespread destruction, with estimated damages of at least 387.5 billion Nepalese rupees (about $2.5 billion) to infrastructure and property.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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