Hope Endures as Two Survivors Are Rescued 10 Days After Nepal Floods
Two people were brought to safety in separate rescues in Nepal on Saturday, offering moments of hope 10 days after catastrophic flooding struck the country.
A Chinese worker was rescued from a 225-metre tunnel at the Trishuli hydropower project. His recovery followed the successful rescue of two Nepalese workers from the same project on Friday.
Nepalese military personnel worked alongside South Korean disaster experts to reach the man. After being evacuated by helicopter, he received a medical assessment and was taken to hospital in stable condition.
The survivor said he had repeatedly called out when he noticed the rescue teams’ lights, although they initially could not hear him.
“When they rescued me today, when they shone [the light] before my eyes, I couldn't believe it,” he said.
Another encouraging rescue unfolded in the flood-damaged town of Nuwakot, where teams found a woman alive inside a damaged home. Rescuers gave her water and carefully brought her to safety before she was flown to Kathmandu for treatment.
The operations reflect a broad international effort to locate survivors. Specialists from Nepal, India, China, South Korea and the United States have been working through tunnels, debris and damaged buildings across 12 hydropower projects.
About 900 workers connected to those projects remain missing, with roughly 500 believed to be trapped in tunnels. Across Nepal, more than 5,000 people are still unaccounted for.
The floods, which struck on Aug. 26 and were likely triggered by a glacier collapse, have killed at least 1,300 people, according to Nepal’s disaster management agency. Despite the immense loss, the latest rescues demonstrate the determination of emergency teams and the enduring possibility of finding people alive even after many difficult days.
