Rescue teams are racing to reach hundreds of workers feared trapped in hydropower tunnels after catastrophic flooding along the Nepal–Tibet border pushed the reported death toll above 950.
The disaster, triggered after a collapse in a Himalayan glacial area sent ice, rock, mud and water through border valleys, has left more than 4,400 people missing across Nepal and Tibet, according to the Associated Press. The figures remain provisional and may change as authorities reach isolated areas.
Hundreds feared trapped underground
At least 900 workers are unaccounted for at damaged hydropower projects in Nepal’s Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts. The Associated Press reported that roughly 500 may be inside large water-control tunnels, while Reuters said rescue teams were trying to reach 933 workers trapped at 11 projects.
Heavy machinery and controlled blasts are being used to clear mud and debris blocking tunnel entrances. Chinese and Indian specialists are supporting Nepalese rescue teams, but unstable ground, damaged roads and the threat of further flooding are slowing the operation.
The precise number trapped underground has not been independently confirmed. Authorities and industry groups are still reconciling worker registers with rescue and evacuation records.
Scale of the disaster still emerging
Reuters reported more than 900 deaths in Nepal and at least 16 in China’s Gyirong County. The Associated Press placed the combined toll above 950. More than 90,000 people have been affected, according to Red Cross estimates cited by Reuters, while the United Nations says tens of thousands urgently need water, sanitation and protection assistance.
Hundreds of foreign nationals are among the missing. Nepalese authorities have said travellers from dozens of countries were in the affected region, which includes routes used by trekkers, workers and pilgrims travelling towards Mount Kailash.
The flood also damaged hydropower plants and projects central to Nepal’s electricity supply and export plans. Reuters reported that about 10% of the country’s generation capacity was knocked out.
Further flood risk
Rescuers remain under pressure because pooled water and unstable glacial terrain could produce further flooding. Authorities have warned communities downstream while engineers assess newly formed lakes and damaged slopes.
The immediate priority remains reaching blocked tunnels and isolated settlements. With thousands still unaccounted for, officials have warned that the casualty figures are not final.
Image: Neutral editorial illustration created for Umma Media. It is not documentary photography. Suggested alt text: “Editorial illustration of Himalayan flood damage near a hydropower tunnel on the Nepal–Tibet border.”
Sources
- Associated Press: Hundreds feared stuck in hydropower tunnels as flood deaths surpass 950
- Reuters: Nepal teams seek hundreds trapped in hydropower tunnels
- Reuters: Rescuers search for survivors after devastating Nepal flood
