Nepal: Trishuli 3A Workers Rescued From Flooded Hydropower Tunnel

• Two workers were rescued alive from a hydropower tunnel in Nepal on September 4, 2026, nine days after devastating floods.
• The rescued individuals, a mechanical foreman and supervisor, were airlifted to a hospital in Kathmandu, with one in critical condition.
• One rescued worker reported that more people are alive inside the tunnel, fueling ongoing search efforts.
• Approximately 900 workers are missing from 12 hydropower projects across Nepal, with about 500 believed trapped in tunnels, including 115 at Trishuli 3A.
• The August 26 floods have killed at least 1,287 people, left over 5,000 missing, and caused an estimated $2.5 billion in damage to infrastructure and property.

Crucially, one of the rescued individuals conveyed that additional people remained alive inside the tunnel, a detail confirmed by army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet.

On Friday, September 4, 2026, a significant breakthrough occurred in Nepal's ongoing flood disaster response when rescuers successfully extracted two workers alive from an underground tunnel at the Trishuli 3A hydropower plant. This remarkable Nepal hydropower tunnel rescue took place nine days after catastrophic floods had inundated the region, submerging villages and leaving a trail of mud and debris. The operation, spearheaded by Nepal Army soldiers, brought a crucial surge of optimism to the arduous search efforts.

The discovery unfolded in the morning when search teams detected voices emanating from deep within the tunnel, enabling them to pinpoint the location of the trapped individuals. Nepalese lawmaker Shri Ram Neupane confirmed this initial contact. Images from the scene depicted a rescuer carrying one of the mud-covered workers on his back, with soldiers providing assistance. Both men, identified as a mechanical foreman and a mechanical supervisor, were immediately airlifted to a hospital in Kathmandu for urgent medical attention. One of the survivors was reported to be in critical condition, according to a statement from the prime minister’s office, while the family of one rescued worker, Amir Maharjan, expressed profound gratitude.

Crucially, one of the rescued individuals conveyed that additional people remained alive inside the tunnel, a detail confirmed by army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet. This testimony invigorated the ongoing search for other Trishuli 3A plant trapped workers, offering renewed hope that more lives could be saved from the perilous underground conditions. Lawmaker Neupane also publicly shared news of the second rescue on his Facebook page shortly after its completion.

The successful rescue at Trishuli 3A unfolded against the backdrop of a much larger humanitarian crisis gripping Nepal. The devastating floods, which began on August 26, were likely triggered by a glacier collapse and have wrought widespread destruction across the Himalayan nation. Nepal's disaster management agency, the National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Authority (NDRRMA), reported a grim toll, with at least 1,287 fatalities confirmed and more than 5,000 individuals still unaccounted for. The catastrophe also extended beyond Nepal's borders, with China's official news agency Xinhua reporting 31 deaths and 531 missing persons on the Tibetan side of the border.

The impact on Nepal's vital hydropower sector has been particularly severe. Authorities estimate that approximately 900 workers are missing from a total of 12 hydropower projects affected by the deluge. A staggering 500 of these Nepal flood disaster workers are believed to be trapped within various tunnels across these sites. At the Trishuli 3A plant alone, where the recent rescue occurred, the Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPPAN) indicated that around 115 individuals are still thought to be confined underground.

The testimony from the rescued worker, confirming the presence of more survivors, has intensified the focus on the remaining trapped individuals. Search operations continue with renewed urgency, as expressed by Nepal's Communication Minister Bikram Timilsina, who posted on Facebook that officials "are waiting for the rescue of more and more people." The sheer scale of the missing workforce underscores the significant challenges in ensuring hydropower project worker safety Nepal faces in such extreme natural events.

Beyond the immediate human tragedy, the floods have inflicted immense economic damage. Nepal's disaster agency has provisionally estimated the cost to infrastructure and property at 387.5 billion Nepalese rupees, equivalent to approximately $2.5 billion. This substantial financial impact highlights the long-term recovery challenges facing the nation, even as the immediate priority remains the search and rescue of those still missing.

This article reports on a humanitarian disaster and rescue effort in Nepal. It does not contain any direct legal developments, rulings, or regulatory changes that would have a practical implication for lawyers or compliance officers in Africa. There is no actionable legal angle.

Source: Reporting based on Associated Press dispatches.