The government has deployed foreign rescue teams alongside domestic security forces to rescue workers and employees trapped inside the tunnels of hydropower projects affected by the devastating Bhotekoshi-Trishuli flood.
Until a few days ago, teams from the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force had been carrying out search and rescue operations. From Sunday, Indian and Chinese rescue teams have also been deployed.
Security agencies are currently focusing on rescuing people trapped inside hydropower projects in Rasuwa and Nuwakot.
Nepal Army spokesperson and Brigadier General Raja Ram Basnet said that rescue efforts were underway at tunnels of four hydropower projects on Sunday.
“Efforts are currently underway to open blocked tunnels to reach those trapped inside the hydropower projects. Search operations are being carried out at four sites,” he said.
Rescue operations are underway at the 60-megawatt Trishuli 3A and the 37-megawatt Upper Trishuli 3B projects. Search and rescue efforts are also being carried out at the 216-megawatt Upper Trishuli-1 project and the 22-megawatt Chilime Hydropower Project.
According to spokesperson Basnet, a 93-member team, including Nepal Army personnel, has been deployed at Trishuli 3A, while Chinese rescuers and the Nepal Army have been deployed at Upper Trishuli-1.
At the Chilime Hydropower Project, an Indian rescue team is working alongside the Nepal Army.
Five Chinese rescue workers arrived in Nepal on Saturday, followed by four more on Sunday. They reached the flood-affected areas of Rasuwa via the Kerung region.
A five-member tunnel rescue team from India had arrived on Friday to conduct a reconnaissance of the affected sites. On Saturday, a 13-member Indian tunnel rescue team arrived in Kathmandu and proceeded to the disaster-hit areas.
Authorities fear that 122 people may be trapped at Upper Trishuli 3B, 42 at Trishuli 3A, and eight at the Chilime Hydropower Project. Earlier, 11 people were rescued from Upper Trishuli 3B.
At Upper Trishuli-1, 254 of the 576 people believed to have been at the site have so far been rescued. Authorities suspect that around 300 people remain trapped inside the tunnels.
