Flood‑Disrupted Hydropower Projects See International Rescue Efforts

KATHMANDU — The massive flood that battered Nepal’s central hills this month has left dozens of hydropower tunnel works inaccessible, prompting an urgent international rescue response.

India’s Tunnel Rescue Squad arrived on the ground within days, linking up with Nepalese troops to conduct systematic sweeps of tunnel networks that feed the Chiling and Langtang hydro‑electric plants. The operation included the use of portable sonar scanners, water‑pumping rigs and heavy‑duty excavators to break through jammed tunnel sections.

According to the Independent Power Producers Association Nepal, a total of 897 staff members were on duty across eleven flood‑hit projects in the Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts when contact was lost. The NDRRMA later reported that seven Indian workers and fifteen Chinese engineers were rescued safely after a coordinated effort that spanned over 48 hours.

Aerial reconnaissance carried out by Indian helicopters mapped the extent of water ingress, allowing rescue managers to prioritise tunnels with the highest risk of collapse. On the ground, both Indian and Chinese specialist teams installed high‑capacity pumps to lower water levels and cleared debris to create safe pathways for trapped personnel.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal praised the collaborative spirit on social media, noting that the Indian team’s swift deployment of pumps and excavators accelerated the rescue timeline. A subsequent rise in water levels forced a brief suspension of work at the Langtang site, but rescue crews quickly adapted and resumed their efforts once conditions permitted.

The incident highlights the fragile state of Nepal’s fast‑growing hydropower sector, which remains highly susceptible to extreme weather events, and underscores the critical role of cross‑border assistance in large‑scale disaster mitigation.