KATHMANDU | Rescue teams in Nepal are racing to reach dozens of workers believed trapped inside the Rasuwagadhi hydropower plant, with officials saying there is a good chance they are still alive, even as families in some of the worst-hit areas have begun holding symbolic funerals for relatives still missing after last week’s catastrophic floods.
A Nepal Electricity Authority official said 46 workers are believed to be trapped inside a tunnel-like chamber at the 111-megawatt Rasuwagadhi facility in Rasuwa district, about five kilometers from the Chinese border. Officials believe the workers may have access to food and water, raising hopes that they can survive until rescuers reach them.
Rescue operations have been severely hampered by huge amounts of mud and debris. Nepalese teams, assisted by personnel and specialists from India, China, South Korea and Australia, are using heavy equipment, helicopters, dogs and life-detection technology to search damaged hydropower facilities and other isolated areas. Reuters reported that 279 people have been rescued from project sites, while at least 639 remain missing from those locations.
The wider disaster has devastated large parts of Nepal and neighboring Tibet since August 26, when a suspected glacier collapse triggered a massive debris flow and flash flood. The disaster swept through river valleys, destroying homes, bridges, roads and hydropower infrastructure. A preliminary UNDP assessment estimated that about 2.2 million tons of debris were generated.
The death toll in Nepal has risen above 1,100, while thousands remain unaccounted for. The figures continue to change as rescue teams reach remote areas and authorities identify victims. AP reported that more than 3,900 people were still missing, including hundreds of foreign nationals from dozens of countries.
In Nuwakot, one of the hardest-hit districts, some families have begun performing symbolic Hindu funerals for relatives whose bodies have not been recovered. The ceremonies provide spiritual closure for families facing the possibility that their loved ones may never be found.
At the same time, there have been moments of hope. Some tourists initially reported missing have made contact with authorities or relatives, while rescue teams continue searching for survivors in areas cut off by destroyed roads and bridges.
Scientists say the disaster highlights the growing risks facing the Himalayan region as glaciers retreat and mountain environments become increasingly unstable. Reuters reported that glaciers in the region have been losing ice rapidly, while experts have warned that warmer temperatures can contribute to glacier destabilization and more dangerous floods and debris flows.
For now, rescuers remain focused on the hydropower tunnels, where the possibility of finding survivors is keeping hope alive despite the worsening conditions.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
