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Race against time along the Trishuli River

Search efforts continued on Monday for hydroelectric workers believed trapped in a mud-filled network of tunnels along the Trishuli River after the floods in Nepal. Rescue teams are carrying out controlled blasts on the hillside to reach the underground passages and pumping air into areas where there may still be signs of life inside.

Families say the air-pumping operation, launched over the weekend, should have begun earlier, stressing that the rescue mission is unfolding within a narrowing window of time. According to officials, about one-seventh of the missing are workers at hydroelectric sites, while families believe more than 600 workers may still be inside the tunnels.

  • Explosives are being used on the hillside for the rescue effort.
  • Air is being pumped into the tunnels to provide oxygen.
  • Teams are trying to re-map the underground routes.

What do the official figures show?

Nepal's disaster management authority said the death toll in the floods along the Nepal-Tibet border has risen to 939, while the number of missing has been updated to 3,925. The missing include 592 foreign nationals, according to the authority.

Nepali leader Balendra Shah said 279 people had been rescued so far from hydroelectric sites. Shah also said a total of 11,379 people have been evacuated from flood-hit areas across the country.

International teams on the ground as tunnel access becomes harder

The operation is being led by teams made up of Chinese and Nepali soldiers. Experts from India, South Korea and Australia are also supporting the work.

On Monday, one team managed to enter a tunnel leading to one of the hydroelectric plants, but withdrew after finding no one inside. Australian engineer Arnold Dix, who is supporting the underground search remotely, said the flood had made the terrain unrecognizable, with some rocks larger than houses, making it extremely difficult to pinpoint the tunnels.

Damage mounts at hydroelectric projects

Nepal relies heavily on hydropower for electricity generation and has spent years developing new projects across its mountainous river systems. Officials said at least 11 projects, both completed and under construction, were damaged in the floods.

Temporary burials in Chitwan, limited information in Tibet

About 300 bodies carried downstream by floodwaters washed ashore in the Chitwan region. DNA samples were taken from unidentified victims, while temporary burials were carried out because there was not enough refrigeration capacity, officials said.

On the Tibetan side, Chinese state media said the official death toll stood at 16, with 546 people still missing. Images related to the floods have reportedly been heavily censored in China, and some people who suggested the official figures may be higher have faced administrative penalties. Nepali authorities have also asked for content they consider misinformation online to be taken down.

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