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Search for hundreds missing in hydropower plant tunnels in Nepal after floods

Rescue workers in Nepal are searching for survivors in hydropower plant tunnels following devastating floods that have claimed over a thousand lives.

1 September 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Search for hundreds missing in hydropower plant tunnels in Nepal after floods — Archive photoPhoto: Wim van Rossem for Anefo · Wikimedia Commons · CC0

Nepalese rescue teams, supported by experts from China and India, are tirelessly working to reach hundreds of people believed to be trapped in sealed tunnels of hydropower plants. This follows the devastating floods that hit the Nepal-Tibet border last week and claimed more than 900 lives.

The floods, caused by a glacier burst in the Himalayas, led to an unprecedented torrent of ice, rocks, mud, and debris. This has not only devastated villages and valleys in Nepal but also caused damage in neighboring areas in China.

According to official reports, there are currently at least 933 people missing, with the death toll estimated to be over a thousand. Nepali authorities have prioritized the search for those trapped in the tunnels.

Rescue workers have sprung into action to locate the missing in tunnels of at least twelve hydropower plants. This area is particularly difficult to access, complicating the search operations.

In some cases, explosives are being used to clear a path to the missing workers. The situation remains chaotic, with thousands of people still unaccounted for in the disaster zones.

Local authorities continue to work on coordinating the rescue efforts, while the international community offers its support. Responders in the region are striving to save lives amid this tragedy.

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