KATHMANDU, Nepal | September 5, 2026 — A Chinese national was pulled alive from a hydropower tunnel in Nepal on Saturday, 10 days after devastating flash floods swept through communities along the Nepal-China border, in a dramatic rescue that has raised hopes for hundreds of people still missing.
The man, identified by the Nepalese Army as Lu Haitao, was rescued from a 225-meter tunnel at the Trishuli hydropower project in Rasuwa district. He was found by a joint Nepalese-South Korean rescue team and was reported to be in stable condition, although he showed signs of mild hypothermia. He was later airlifted to an army hospital, Reuters reported.
Lu’s rescue came a day after two Nepalese hydropower workers were pulled alive from another tunnel after spending nine days underground. The latest rescue brings to three the number of workers recovered alive from the Trishuli hydropower project since the disaster.
In a separate operation Saturday, Nepalese Army personnel also rescued a woman alive from a flooded underground area in Nuwakot district, according to the Associated Press.
The rescues have provided a rare measure of hope as search teams continue looking for thousands of people missing since the August 26 disaster. Nepalese authorities reported 1,344 deaths and about 4,887 people missing, including 583 foreign nationals, according to Reuters. In China’s Tibet region, authorities reported 31 deaths and 531 people missing.
The rescue effort is particularly focused on hydropower facilities, where about 900 workers are reported missing from 12 projects, with roughly 500 believed to be trapped inside tunnels, according to officials and industry representatives cited by the Associated Press. Thick mud, rocks, collapsed structures and damaged infrastructure have made access difficult.
International rescue teams from India, China, South Korea and the United States are assisting Nepalese authorities. At some sites, rescuers have been clearing debris and mud from tunnels in the hope of finding more survivors.
The floods were triggered by a massive collapse involving glacial ice and rock in the Himalayan region near the Nepal-China border. The resulting surge sent enormous amounts of water, mud and debris through the Trishuli River valley, destroying homes, roads and bridges and severely damaging hydropower facilities.
The disaster has also renewed concerns about the growing risks facing communities in the Himalayas. The Associated Press reported that rising temperatures are contributing to glacier loss and increasing the danger of flash floods, landslides and other mountain hazards. Experts have called for stronger early-warning systems, better monitoring and improved planning for vulnerable communities and infrastructure.
For families still waiting for missing relatives, the survival of Lu and the other recently rescued victims after days beneath mud and debris has strengthened hopes that more people may still be alive in the tunnels.
Rescue teams continued their search Saturday, working through dangerous and unstable conditions as Nepal began the difficult task of recovering from one of the worst disasters to strike the Himalayan region in recent years.
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
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- Venus L Peñaflor
