Archive · 12 Sep 2026
Nepali Worker Survives Nine Days Trapped in Flooded Tunnel
Sanjay Sah was working inside a hydropower station in Nepal when a huge flood struck.
The flood filled parts of the tunnel with mud, water, and broken equipment.
Sah became trapped in the darkness for about nine days.
He had no food, so he drank water from the flood and nearby rocks.
He kept his eyes closed to protect them from sharp debris.
He prayed and thought about his family to stay calm.
When he heard rescuers working outside, he knew help was coming.
He was eventually rescued and taken to a hospital, where he began recovering.
Sanjay Sah survived after being trapped for nine days in a dark tunnel at Nepal’s Upper Trishuli 3A Hydropower Station.
He had no food and survived by drinking floodwater and water seeping through mountain rock.
Sah kept his eyes closed for long periods to avoid debris and injuries in the darkness.
He stayed in what he believed was the safest location after flood damage made the tunnel difficult to navigate.
Rescuers eventually reached him after he heard excavators and other equipment working outside.
- Who
- Sanjay Sah, a mechanical foreman at the Upper Trishuli 3A Hydropower Station, was trapped and later rescued; another worker, Kabir Maharjan, was also trapped.
- What
- A flood buried and severely damaged part of the hydropower station, trapping Sah in a dark tunnel for nine days before his rescue.
- When
- The disaster occurred in late August, and Sah was rescued on the 10th day; the interview was published on September 11.
- Where
- The incident took place at the Upper Trishuli 3A Hydropower Station in Nepal; Sah later recovered in Kathmandu.
- Why
- A collapse of a Himalayan glacier triggered flooding that tore through the structure and buried the tunnel in mud and debris.
- Survivor
- Sanjay Sah, 30, a mechanical foreman
- Location
- Upper Trishuli 3A Hydropower Station, Nepal
- Time trapped
- Nine days, with rescue occurring on the 10th day
- Food and water
- Sah had no food and drank floodwater and seepage water
- Survival strategy
- He stayed in a location he believed was safest and recited the Hindu Maha Mantra
- Rescue signals
- He heard excavators and ladders working outside roughly 10 to 12 hours before rescue
- Other trapped worker
- Kabir Maharjan was also trapped and suffered more severe injuries