Nepal floods: Two workers pulled alive from tunnel after nine days

Emergency crews in Nepal rescued two men who had been trapped for nine days inside a mud‑filled hydropower tunnel after the region was devastated by flash flooding along the Nepal‑Tibet border. The workers, whose identities were not disclosed, emerged with injuries to their hands and legs and were immediately airlifted to a hospital in Kathmandu for medical care. Their extraction marks the first successful rescue linked to the catastrophic floods that have claimed more than 1,200 lives.

The flood, which began in early September, inundated vast swaths of the country, destroying infrastructure and leaving countless residents stranded or missing. In the wake of the disaster, authorities have been forced to contend with the massive task of locating and identifying victims, a process that has increasingly relied on DNA testing to confirm identities. The scale of the tragedy has also prompted large‑scale burial operations, with mass graves being prepared in areas such as Bharatpur as bodies continue to wash up from the swollen rivers.

The successful tunnel rescue offers a rare piece of hopeful news amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis, highlighting the dedication of Nepal’s emergency responders despite challenging conditions. The two survivors now face a period of treatment and rehabilitation, while the broader recovery effort continues to focus on providing aid to displaced families, rebuilding damaged hydropower facilities, and addressing the long‑term impacts of the floods on the nation’s infrastructure and economy.

⚡ Effects Interpreter