Nepali army rescuers are crawling through tunnels leading to the Rasuwagadhi hydroelectric power station as the search continues for workers feared trapped underground following devastating mudslides along the Nepal-Tibet border.
Six days after the disaster, the government believes around 100 workers may still be alive inside tunnels at several hydropower sites, while a total of 933 workers remain unaccounted for.
Nepal has faced devastating floods and landslides before, particularly during the annual monsoon season. In September 2024, record-breaking rainfall triggered floods and landslides that killed more than 250 people and caused widespread damage to roads, infrastructure and hydropower projects. A year later, the Rasuwagadhi area was hit by another severe flash flood that damaged key infrastructure along the Nepal-Tibet border. But the scale of the latest disaster, driven by a massive glacial collapse and subsequent flooding, has once again exposed the vulnerability of Nepal’s mountainous communities and rapidly expanding hydropower sector.
The search follows devastating mudslides that swept through the mountainous border region between Nepal and Tibet, damaging infrastructure and cutting off access to several hydropower projects.
The disaster left hundreds of workers unaccounted for, with many believed to have been inside tunnels when the landslides struck. As rescue teams work through difficult terrain and blocked underground passages, authorities are racing against time to reach those who may still be trapped.
