Nepali army personnel are participating in rescue operations at hydropower facilities where workers are believed to be trapped in tunnels inundated by flood debris. Rescuers have resumed work after rain and rising river waters previously hindered their efforts. The Nepali government estimates that more than 100 workers may still be alive and trapped inside multiple tunnels at hydropower projects, with significant rescue efforts concentrated on the Trishuli 3A and 3B sites.
Flash floods, triggered on Wednesday by a glacier collapse near Nepal’s border with Tibet, have resulted in at least 750 fatalities and over 3,000 individuals reported missing. Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has indicated that 933 hydropower workers are among the missing.
On Saturday evening, at Trishuli 3A in Rasuwa District, army rescue teams utilized drills to penetrate the upper section of a mud-filled tunnel, initiating air pumping and camera deployment. However, overnight rain and rising river levels complicated efforts on Sunday, flooding the excavation area before conditions improved.
A statement from the Nepal Army on Sunday noted, "As the floodwaters have receded, the team has resumed efforts to locate the tunnel entrance using drilling machines, excavators, hydraulic cutters, and other equipment."
Al Jazeera’s Minelle Fernandez, reporting from Kathmandu, stated that the government has sought specialized assistance from India and China to enhance its rescue operations.
The disaster on Wednesday was caused by a glacier collapse at approximately 5,200 meters in the Himalayas, which fell about 1,200 meters, collecting rock and debris before impacting the Lende River. This surge swept through Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading districts, raising the Trishuli River by nine meters in just 30 minutes. The US Geological Survey later revised its initial assessment of an earthquake trigger, attributing the seismic signal to the landslide itself.
Al Jazeera’s Jessica Washington, reporting from Dhading, noted that while the river had receded on Sunday, the current remained strong. She reported that the floodwaters had devastated numerous homes, leaving only foundations intact, while many standing structures were in disrepair. Residents indicated that the disaster not only destroyed their homes but also their livelihoods, as many had small businesses on the ground floors of their homes, all of which were washed away.
Nepal’s National Disaster Management Authority reported on Sunday that 734 bodies had been recovered, with at least 2,498 individuals still missing on the Nepalese side of the border. In Tibet, Chinese authorities reported 16 deaths and 546 missing individuals. Al Jazeera’s Katrina Yu, reporting from Beijing, mentioned that 261 foreigners from 23 countries are among those unaccounted for.
International aid has been dispatched from the United Nations, the Red Cross Federation, Australia, India, South Korea, and the United States. The US and Canada pledged $3.6 million each in humanitarian aid, while the United Kingdom offered $6.8 million. The UN allocated $2.5 million in emergency funding, and the European Union committed $2.3 million. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) announced more than $1 million in allocations and launched an emergency appeal for $31 million.
Al Jazeera’s Samer Allawi reported that authorities have not yet transitioned to the second phase of relief operations, which includes humanitarian assistance and road reopening, due to challenging terrain and insufficient resources. Nepal’s finance minister estimated the disaster's financial impact at over $4 billion, with ongoing warnings regarding potential flooding along northern rivers.