Escaped from the tunnels in the Himalayas that became a death trap: "The water chased me for 20 minutes"
A week after the flood disaster, a race against time continues in Nepal to try to rescue hundreds of workers trapped in the tunnels of hydroelectric plants - but even drones that flew inside found no signs of life: "They filled up with mud like toothpaste in a tube. No space was left." One of the survivors recounts to the BBC: "We ran with all our might, I almost lost consciousness from the shock." He survived - but when he went outside, he discovered that his home was destroyed and that six of his family members were killed: "The dead are at rest. Those of us who survived are the ones who are suffering."
A week after the massive flood disaster that struck Nepal and Tibet, following the collapse of a giant glacier in the Himalayas, a race against time continues on the Nepalese side to rescue the masses who are still defined as missing. The rescue operation has focused on rescuing hundreds of workers in hydroelectric projects, who it is hoped may have survived in the tunnels dug as part of these projects.
Last night, the BBC published new testimony from Pemba Dundu Tamang, who was leading a team of about 30 workers. He testified that he felt a sudden, powerful gust of wind that moved heavy mechanical equipment. "I ran towards the tunnel opening, the water chased me and I ran in front of it for about 20 minutes," he said. "I was almost unconscious from the shock." Tamang eventually found shelter in a nearby village until the army arrived. He estimates that about 50 to 60 workers managed to escape with him.
The Magnitude of the Disaster
Tamang and his friend Aita Gale were working on the Trishuli 3B hydroelectric project. Upon returning, Tamang realized the scale of the disaster: "I could see the place where my house was supposed to be. Nothing was left there." He lost six relatives, including his mother and brother. "I feel that life has no meaning now. The dead are at rest; those of us who survived are the ones who are suffering."
Authorities in Nepal, assisted by teams from India and China, are working to reach the tunnels. Of the more than 4,000 missing, about 900 were workers at hydroelectric projects, with an estimated 639 trapped inside. Drone operator Manish Maharjan noted that the operation is challenging: "The tunnels filled up with mud like toothpaste in a tube. No space or empty place was left inside." Drones sent into the tunnels have found no signs of life.
Survival Challenges
Experts state that the critical 72-hour window passed last Saturday. Jennifer Horney, a disaster expert from the University of Delaware, explains that without access to clean water, survival chances drop dramatically. However, rescues are not unprecedented; in 2023, 41 Indian workers were saved after 17 days in a collapsed tunnel thanks to oxygen and water supplies provided through pipes.
The disaster, which has claimed over 1,000 lives, includes missing citizens from over 30 countries, including two Israelis. Scientists from the Asian Mountain Academic Alliance noted that satellite imagery showed signs of glacier instability, suggesting that better early warning systems could have saved lives in areas downstream.
