According to the office of the Nepalese president and Reuters reporting, rescue teams in Nepal pulled a live Chinese citizen from a hydropower station tunnel on Saturday, bringing the total number of rescued workers at the Trishuli River site to three. The rescue follows a massive disaster triggered on August 26 near the Nepal-Tibet border, where a rockfall and part of a Himalayan glacier collapse crashed into a valley, forming a temporary dam that eventually burst and unleashed a destructive flood wave.
Rescue Efforts at Trishuli River Hydropower Station
Rescue operations at the Trishuli River site yielded more survivors over the weekend as crews searched through blocked infrastructure. According to Reuters and the presidential office, a Chinese worker was extracted alive from the facility’s tunnel on Saturday. This followed Friday operations where rescue crews pulled two living Nepalese workers from the same tunnel network. Across Nepal, authorities report that roughly 900 workers remain missing across 12 different hydropower stations, with an estimated 500 believed trapped inside subterranean tunnels.
Death Toll and Scale of the Himalayan Disaster
The disaster has claimed at least 1,300 lives, while more than 5,000 people remain missing, according to figures released by the Nepal Disaster Management Authority. The extreme flooding struck Nepal and neighboring Tibet following the late August geological event. According to the Czech Geological Survey, the catastrophe originated when a rockfall combined with a collapsing Himalayan glacier section, hurtling a massive wall of ice and rock into the valley below. The resulting debris dam accumulated massive water volume before bursting, sending a powerful flash flood down the Trishuli River that obliterated homes, buildings, roads, and bridges while sweeping away mud and boulders. Officials point to climate change as a contributing factor behind the disaster.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many workers have been rescued from the Trishuli River tunnels?
According to Reuters and the Nepalese presidential office, three workers have been rescued alive from the Trishuli River hydropower tunnels—one Chinese citizen rescued on Saturday and two Nepalese workers pulled from the site on Friday.
What caused the massive floods in Nepal and Tibet?
According to the Czech Geological Survey, the floods on August 26 were caused by a rockfall combined with a collapsing Himalayan glacier. The resulting debris formed a natural dam that ultimately breached, sending a destructive wave down the Trishuli River.
How many people are still missing following the disaster?
According to the Nepal Disaster Management Authority, more than 5,000 people remain missing, alongside a death toll of at least 1,300. Around 900 workers are missing across 12 hydropower stations.
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