Kathmandu: In a dramatic rescue operation, Nepali Army personnel battled through thick mud and debris to reach people trapped inside a hydropower tunnel in flood-hit Rasuwa district, bringing a desperate search for survivors into focus.
The tunnel at the Upper Trishuli hydropower project became a dangerous refuge after floodwaters and debris swept through the area, leaving workers and others trapped underground.
Rescuers enter the mud-filled tunnel
Footage from the rescue operation shows soldiers making their way through the heavily damaged tunnel to reach those trapped inside. Thick layers of mud made movement extremely difficult, forcing rescuers to crawl through confined sections and carefully navigate the debris.
Some survivors were helped out of the tunnel by rescuers, while others were carried or supported as they made their way to safety.
The operation required rescuers to work in hazardous conditions, with the tunnel filled with mud following the devastating flooding.
Trapped workers wait for help
The hydropower site became one of the key locations in the search for people missing after the floods. Reports indicated that more than 100 people were believed to remain trapped inside the tunnel as rescue teams continued their efforts.
The difficult conditions meant that reaching those inside was a race against time, with soldiers having to clear pathways and move through unstable, mud-filled sections.
A rescue operation filled with hope
The successful evacuation of survivors from the tunnel brought a moment of relief to families waiting for news of their loved ones.
The operation also highlighted the challenges faced by rescue personnel working underground after a natural disaster. Instead of simply searching from the surface, soldiers had to enter the flooded infrastructure themselves to reach people who had been cut off from the outside world.
As rescue teams continued working around the hydropower project, the images of soldiers emerging from the tunnel with survivors offered a powerful reminder of the human effort behind the ongoing rescue mission.