- The families of more than 600 workers believed to be trapped in mud-filled tunnels along Nepal's Trishuli River are clinging to hope their loved ones can be found alive.
- Rescuers used explosives to blast into the hillside and pump air into the Trishuli-3A site, fearing a critical window to reach survivors is closing.
- Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah reported that 279 people had been rescued from the sites.
- Families express hope and frustration: Anushila Bhandari wishes for her missing husband's return, Sita Pandey holds 50% hope due to an oxygen system, and Jiban Khadka says the operation is "frustratingly slow".
- At least 11 projects were damaged in the floods, and rescuers began pumping air into a tunnel over the weekend, but families say that should have been done earlier.
- The rescue operation is spearheaded by an international team of Chinese and Nepalese military personnel, with experts from India, Korea, and Australia also involved.
- Australian geologist Arnold Dix called locating a tunnel "a miracle" and noted that rescuers must dig "with hands and shovels" because big machinery cannot access the area.
Rescuers in Nepal are racing against time to save over 600 workers trapped in mud-filled tunnels along the Trishuli River after catastrophic floods. As of Monday, Prime Minister Balendra Shah reported 279 rescues, while families remain hopeful despite the rising death toll of 939 and 3,925 missing individuals, including 592 foreign nationals.13
The rescue operation, led by an international team of Chinese and Nepalese military personnel, is supported by experts from India, Korea, and Australia. Rescuers have been blasting into the hillside and pumping air into the tunnels, but the operation is described as “frustratingly slow” by officials.9
Families are clinging to hope; Anushila Bhandari, whose husband is missing, expressed her wish for his return, stating, “I wish we could find him. I wish he would come home”. Another family member, Sita Pandey, remains optimistic, saying, “I still have a 50% hope that he is alive because there is an oxygen system inside”.456
The floods have severely impacted at least 11 projects, with Australian geologist Arnold Dix noting the challenges of locating tunnels amid the debris, calling it a “miracle” to find them under the mud and rock.781011
As the rescue efforts continue, the urgency to reach survivors grows, with families anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones.
“The rescue is spearheaded by Chinese and Nepalese military personnel, with experts from India, Korea, and Australia also involved. Families like Sita Pandey hold 50% hope due to an oxygen system, while Australian geologist Arnold Dix calls locating a tunnel "a miracle" and says big machinery can't access the area.”
