Nepal rescue teams find two workers alive in hydropower tunnel after nine days

Rescue teams working in Nepal's hydropower sector achieved an unexpected breakthrough when they located and extracted two workers from a submerged tunnel on Wednesday, more than a week after catastrophic flooding struck the facility. The operation marked a significant development in the ongoing search efforts, as teams had been working systematically through the damaged infrastructure since the initial disaster.

The two workers were found in an air pocket within the tunnel system, which had allowed them to survive the initial surge of water and the subsequent inundation. Their rescue was considered remarkable given the scale of the flooding and the extended period they spent trapped underground without outside contact.

The successful operation has encouraged rescue coordinators to intensify search efforts in other sections of the hydropower facility and surrounding areas. Officials indicated that the discovery demonstrates the possibility of survival in pockets of the damaged infrastructure, prompting teams to prioritize areas where similar conditions might exist.

The incident has highlighted both the vulnerability of Nepal's energy infrastructure to extreme weather events and the resilience of rescue operations in challenging mountainous terrain. Recovery efforts are expected to continue as authorities assess the full extent of damage and search for any remaining missing persons.