The moment he heard the news that his elder brother had been found alive, Amir Maharjan couldn't stay home for even a single minute.
As soon as he heard that his elder brother, Kabir Maharjan, who had been trapped inside the tunnel of the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project for nine days, had been rescued, he rushed to the hospital.
Kabir has been brought to Birendra Hospital in Chhauni, Kathmandu, for treatment.
The Prime Minister’s Office said that Kabir is currently receiving treatment in the ICU.
“We’re busy. We’re rushing to the hospital,” Amir said over the phone. "It feels like a completely different day to us!"
For the nine days Kabir was trapped inside the tunnel, the family had not given up hope for his safe rescue.
"We hadn’t given up hope, thinking we must stay positive," Amir said. "But then again, there is always the question of what level of reality you can actually believe."
Then, on Friday morning, the news the family had been hoping for finally arrived – Kabir had been found alive.
Amir was at a loss for words to express his happiness.
“I can’t even describe how happy I am right now. I never thought a day this happy would come in my life,” he said.
In a hurry to see his brother, Amir did not want to speak for long.
“We’re heading to the hospital now. Let’s talk later, sir,” he said.
He said that their parents, who were at home, were also extremely happy after learning that their son had been rescued alive.
“My parents are at home. They’re very happy too,” he said. “I’m in a hurry to see my brother. Let's just talk this much for now.”
With that, he hung up the phone.
Two rescued from tunnel after nine days
Two people trapped inside the tunnel of the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project have been rescued alive nine days after the massive flood in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa.
The Nepal Army and Armed Police Force rescued the two men from the project’s tunnel on Friday morning.
The rescued workers have been identified as 32-year-old Sanjay Sah of Saptari and 45-year-old Kabir Maharjan of Bal Kumari, Lalitpur.
Sah is a mechanical foreman at the Nepal Electricity Authority, while Maharjan is a supervisor at the authority.
According to Shri Ram Neupane, a Rastriya Swatantra Party lawmaker and engineer involved in the search and rescue operation, the two were brought out of the tunnel alive by 9:20 a.m. Friday.
The army provided them with first aid at the site before airlifting them to Kathmandu by helicopter. The search for others who may still be trapped inside the tunnel is continuing.
