Archive · 31 Aug 2026
Nepal Hydropower Project Vacancy Announcement Draws Criticism Amid Flood Rescue
Severe floods struck parts of Nepal after a glacier collapsed near the border with Tibet.
Many people, including workers at hydropower projects, could not be found.
Some workers may still be trapped inside tunnels filled with mud and flood debris.
Rescue teams have been trying to reach them, although rain and damaged roads have made this difficult.
The Nepal Army has rescued hundreds of people from two hydropower projects.
At the same time, the Upper Trishuli 1 project announced 137 new jobs.
Some people questioned the timing because rescue efforts are still continuing.
Officials connected to affected projects also said that the rescue response has not received enough priority.
Upper Trishuli 1 Hydropower Project announced 137 vacancies two days after catastrophic floods hit Nepal.
Nepal’s disaster authority reported 933 hydropower workers missing, while the industry association reported 934 missing across 11 projects.
The floods killed at least 750 people and left more than 3,000 missing, according to the report.
Nepal Army teams rescued 254 people from Upper Trishuli 1 and 18 from Langtang Khola, while other workers remain unreachable.
Rescue teams are targeting tunnels at projects including Trishuli 3A and Trishuli 3B, but debris, damaged access routes, rain and rising rivers have hindered operations.
- Who
- Hydropower workers, rescue teams, the Nepal Army, the Upper Trishuli 1 Hydropower Project and government disaster authorities are involved.
- What
- Floods left hundreds of hydropower workers missing or unaccounted for while Upper Trishuli 1 announced 137 vacancies.
- When
- The vacancy notice appeared two days after the floods began on Wednesday; rescue operations were still underway.
- Where
- Flood-hit hydropower projects and tunnels in Nepal, including sites along the Trishuli area.
- Why
- The floods followed the collapse of part of a glacier near Nepal’s border with Tibet, while the vacancy announcement drew criticism because workers remained missing.
Critics and Rescue Concerns
Authorities and Project Actions
Timing of the vacancy announcement
Critics and Rescue Concerns
Critics viewed the announcement of 137 vacancies as tone-deaf because rescue teams were still searching for missing hydropower workers.
Authorities and Project Actions
The project announced the vacancies two days after the floods, but the report gives no explanation from the project for the timing.
Priority given to rescues
Critics and Rescue Concerns
Officials associated with affected projects said the government had not given rescue operations sufficient priority.
Authorities and Project Actions
The government said more than 100 workers could still be alive in several tunnels, and rescue teams had resumed efforts after weather and river conditions improved.
Number of missing workers
Critics and Rescue Concerns
The Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal, reported 934 people unaccounted for across 11 projects.
Authorities and Project Actions
Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported 933 missing hydropower workers, creating a one-person discrepancy.
- New vacancies
- 137 positions announced by Upper Trishuli 1 Hydropower Project.
- Missing hydropower workers
- 933 reported missing by Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority; the industry association reported 934 across 11 projects.
- Overall disaster toll
- At least 750 people were killed and more than 3,000 remained missing.
- Rescued from Upper Trishuli 1
- The Nepal Army rescued 254 people.
- Rescued from Langtang Khola
- The Nepal Army rescued 18 people from the 20MW project.
- Chilime project
- Eight people remained out of contact, including six believed to be inside a tunnel.
- Main rescue obstacles
- Flood debris, damaged access, rain and rising river levels slowed rescue operations.