Information on the Status of People Trapped Inside Hydropower Plant Tunnels Due to Bhote Koshi-Trishuli Floods

Prime Minister Balendra Shah informed Parliament about the inability to conduct timely rescue operations for people trapped inside hydropower project tunnels during their escape from the devastating floods. He stated that helicopters had been deployed for search and rescue missions at the affected power plants’ tunnels; however, difficult terrain conditions made rescues challenging. “This is a unique situation. The combination of mud and debris meant that not only excavators but also personnel from the Army and Armed Police had no stable ground to stand on, so they attempted to reach as far as possible, even resting intermittently,” he explained.

The BBC consulted with project representatives and government officials regarding the estimated number of individuals trapped inside the underground hydropower facilities accessible only through tunnels. Although an exact count could not be confirmed, it was estimated that over 150 people were working at these locations before the flood disaster. Officials from the Ministry of Energy conveyed that the Rasuwa Gadhi Hydroelectric Project’s tunnel structures could contain up to 12 people.

According to the Nepal Army’s report on Wednesday, rescue teams had advanced approximately 150 meters into the tunnel but were unable to proceed further due to large boulders obstructing the path. No individuals were found within the area reached. Unlike the underground Rasuwa Gadhi plant, the Langtang Khola Hydropower Project’s powerhouse is surface-based, constructed above ground facing the Langtang River. Nevertheless, this project also uses tunnel routes to divert water from the Langtang River.

Similarly, information indicates that 557 people have been reported missing at the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project. This project, constructed with direct foreign investment from a South Korean company, employed Korean, Chinese, and Indian workers. According to Project General Manager Giriraj Adhikari, rescue teams have been unable to progress more than one and a half kilometers inside. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority recently reported that a total of 639 people across all hydropower projects remain unaccounted for.