Two men have been dramatically rescued alive from a tunnel at Nepal's Trishuli 3A hydropower project, nine days after devastating flash floods swept through the Trishuli River corridor. The successful operation offers a rare moment of hope amidst a disaster that has left thousands dead or missing across the region.
The survivors were identified as Kabir Maharjan, 45, a mechanical supervisor from Kathmandu, and Sanjay Sah, 30, a foreman from Saptari district in Madhesh province. Their rescue was confirmed by the Nepal Army's Public Relations Directorate.
Harrowing Ordeal and Miraculous Survival
Maharjan, whose condition was described as critical, was flown to Kathmandu for urgent medical treatment. His wife, Hira Shobha, expressed overwhelming relief and gratitude to the rescue teams. “He has returned with a second life. We are extremely happy,” she told The Kathmandu Post, adding, “We believed he was still in there. We believed he would come back. We suffered because it took a little longer.”
Sanjay Sah is currently receiving treatment at Trishuli Hospital in Nuwakot. He recounted his ordeal to a Nepali Army medical team, explaining his decision to stay behind. “I was working in the control room. My responsibility was to save everyone's life,” Sah stated. He urged others to flee but found himself unable to escape the rising waters. While trapped, Sah spent his time reciting a mantra, holding onto hope for rescue.
Broader Devastation and Ongoing Search
The Nepal Army-led security command deployed specialized equipment to facilitate the rescue after earlier detecting voices from within the tunnel. Sah warned that while he communicated with three or four people nearby, others could still be trapped deeper inside the extensive tunnel, potentially near the powerhouse, or swept further by floodwaters.
The human toll of the disaster extends far beyond these two survivors. The Independent Power Producers' Association of Nepal reported that more than 600 workers across 11 hydropower projects remain missing. The nationwide death toll from the flash floods rose to 1,282, with over 4,700 people still unaccounted for as of Friday.
Triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, the floods have wreaked havoc, devastating communities throughout northern and central Nepal.