A Chinese national was rescued alive Saturday from a tunnel at the Trishuli-1 hydropower project, on the 10th day after the glacial-collapse flood struck Nepal. A Nepal Army spokesperson confirmed the news to AFP.
Nepal Army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet said, “Just now, a Chinese national has been rescued from a tunnel at the Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower project.”
Earlier, on Friday morning, two people were rescued alive from a tunnel at the Trishuli-3A hydropower project. Both were Nepali nationals — one, Sanjay Shah, and the other, Kabir Maharjan.
After the two were rescued alive, Suresh Raut, a senior official of Nepal’s power department, said the rescued individuals were being given necessary oxygen. It is believed more people may still be trapped inside the tunnels, and rescue operations for them are continuing.
Nepal’s prime minister’s office said in a statement Friday that the second person rescued, Kabir Maharjan, was in critical condition. He has been placed in the intensive care unit (ICU) at the Army Hospital in Kathmandu. Sanjay Shah will also undergo a medical checkup at the same hospital.
The country’s energy minister, Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, said in a statement, “As long as there is breath, there is hope! Rescue operations are underway at all the affected tunnels. Let everyone’s efforts and prayers continue. We haven’t lost hope.”
On Aug. 26, a massive glacier and rock collapse on a mountain along the China-Nepal border sent a torrent of mud and debris through the region. Hundreds of hydropower workers went missing afterward. Of them, three have now been rescued alive between Friday and today.
The country’s national disaster agency says at least 1,344 bodies have been recovered from the disaster so far, with more than 5,083 people still missing.
Meanwhile, Chinese state media reported that 31 people died in the disaster on the Tibetan side, with 531 people still missing.
This brings the combined death toll in both countries to 1,375, with more than 5,500 missing.