4 hrs ago
Two Nepal Workers Rescued After Nine Days Underground
Two workers in Nepal were trapped inside a hydropower tunnel after a huge flood and landslide.
They stayed underground for nine days before rescuers found them alive.
The workers were Sanjay Shah and Kabir Maharjan.
Rescuers dug through thick mud, rocks, and water to reach them.
They also used pumps, excavators, explosives, and pipes to make the rescue possible.
The men may have survived in a pocket of air with some water and supplies.
Shah was reported to be in stable condition, while Maharjan needed intensive care.
Both were taken to hospitals in Kathmandu.
Rescue teams are still looking for other workers who may be trapped.
Sanjay Shah and Kabir Maharjan were rescued from the Trishuli 3A hydropower tunnel after nine days.
The men were found about 170 meters inside the tunnel, although one report described them as 60 meters from its entrance.
Rescuers located them after clearing mud, boulders, water, and debris, including rocks reportedly as large as cars.
Experts believe an underground air pocket, breathable oxygen, trapped water, and limited supplies helped them survive.
Searches continue for at least 35 other workers at the tunnel and possible survivors at other hydropower sites.
- Who
- Sanjay Shah, also rendered as Sanjay Sah in one report, and Kabir Maharjan were rescued; other workers may remain trapped.
- What
- Two workers were rescued alive from a flooded, debris-filled hydropower tunnel after nine days.
- Where
- The rescue took place at the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project in Nepal; the workers were reportedly about 170 meters inside the tunnel.
- When
- They were rescued on September 4, nine days after the August 26 glacial and mountain collapse and flooding.
- Why
- They became trapped when flash floods, mud, boulders, water, and sediment blocked the tunnel after the disaster.
Key facts
- Rescued workers
- Sanjay Shah, also identified as Sanjay Sah, and Kabir Maharjan
- Time underground
- Nine days
- Tunnel depth reported
- About 170 meters inside the tunnel; another account placed the men around 60 meters from the entrance
- Tunnel length
- Approximately 4.5 kilometers
- Medical condition
- Shah was reported stable; Maharjan was taken to intensive care
- Rescue methods
- Teams cleared debris with excavators, pumps, pipes, and controlled explosives, then bored a narrow passage
- Further search
- At least 35 additional workers are believed to be trapped in the specific tunnel
- Wider disaster toll
- Reports put deaths at at least 1,280 to 1,287 and missing people at more than 5,500 in one account
Quotes
Lakshmi Naini
The sister-in-law of rescued worker Kabir Maharjan
“I’ve never known a rescue operation where you had to look for an entrance of a tunnel that was previously up the hill, that was now underground.”
firstpost.com
“It's a miracle! I am very happy. I heard he is alive through social media, and I could not believe it.”
firstpost.com
Sources
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