Nepal Death Toll Exceeds 1,000 as Rescuers Race to Reach Trapped Workers
By Jake Lapham, Kelly Ng, and BBC Nepali
The devastating floods on the Nepal-Tibet border have claimed over 1,000 lives, according to the country’s disaster management agency. Over 3,900 people remain missing, with concerns focused on more than 600 workers believed to be trapped in a network of mud-filled tunnels at hydropower sites along the Trishuli River.
Engineers have been pumping air into the tunnels, but despite one team gaining entry, they withdrew after finding no one inside. Anushila Bhandari, wife of missing engineer Aurus Bhandari, expressed her despair: "I wish we could find him. I wish he would come home."
Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah announced that 279 people had been rescued as of Monday. An international team, including Chinese and Nepalese military personnel, is leading the rescue operation, with experts from India, Korea, and Australia providing support.
The families of those trapped are growing increasingly desperate, criticising the slow response. "The longer it takes, the more our hope dies," said Jiban Khadka, whose relative is also missing. "This operation must move much faster because every second is meaningful to us."
Nepal heavily relies on hydropower and has invested significantly in developing projects along its rivers. At least 11 projects were damaged in the floods, according to authorities. Rescuers have intensified their efforts, but Prime Minister Shah acknowledged the gravity of the situation, attributing it to climate change. "This incident indicates that the risks we face in the Himalayan region are increasing," he stated on Facebook.
Families like Priya Kharel’s await news anxiously. Her brother Milan was working as an engineer at the Upper Trishuli-1 plant when the floods occurred. "Those who returned from the hydropower site said there were people inside the tunnel," she shared, holding onto hope that her brother could still be saved.
