KATHMANDU | Nepal intensified rescue operations on Monday to reach hundreds of workers believed trapped inside tunnels at hydropower projects after a catastrophic Himalayan flood killed at least 903 people and left more than 4,200 missing in Nepal, with hundreds more unaccounted for across the border in China.
Nepali rescue teams, assisted by Chinese and Indian specialists, were searching for 933 workers believed missing at 11 hydropower projects in the badly affected districts of Rasuwa and Nuwakot, according to Reuters. Some workers are believed to be inside several tunnels that were inundated or blocked by enormous amounts of mud, rock and debris.
The Nepal Army said teams were using excavators, searchlights and controlled blasts to clear the tunnels. Three bodies had been recovered after rescuers entered two tunnels, while other sections remained inaccessible. The army said the biggest challenge was the huge volume of debris deposited inside the structures.
The disaster, which struck on August 26, is believed to have begun when a glacier collapsed in the Himalayas, sending ice, rocks and mud into rivers and triggering devastating flash floods downstream. The destruction spread across Nepal and China’s Tibet region, damaging roads, bridges, villages and power infrastructure.
Nepal’s Foreign Ministry said about 590 foreign nationals from 39 countries remained missing, while more than 10,000 people had been rescued. The Red Cross estimated that more than 90,000 people were affected by the disaster. In China’s Gyirong County, 16 deaths and 546 missing people had been reported.
The disaster has also exposed the vulnerability of Nepal’s rapidly expanding hydropower industry. About 700 megawatts of generating capacity, or roughly 10% of Nepal’s power capacity, has been taken offline, according to the Associated Press. Hydropower has become central to Nepal’s economy and electricity supply, with projects increasingly built along steep Himalayan river corridors where tunnels are needed to carry water to powerhouses.
Nepal’s hydropower development dates back more than a century. The country’s first power station, the 500-kilowatt Pharping Hydropower Station, was inaugurated in 1911. The industry expanded significantly after private-sector participation was encouraged through the Electricity Act of 1992, helping Nepal move from chronic electricity shortages toward seasonal power surpluses and electricity exports.
The disaster has also renewed questions about whether Nepal received sufficient advance information about hazards originating across the border. Reuters reported that Nepali officials had sought stronger cooperation with China on glacier monitoring, water-level information and early warnings before the catastrophe. Two Nepali officials told Reuters that China had not shared enough information on glacier risks and water levels, while Beijing said it had continuously provided meteorological and hydrological data and would continue supporting Nepal.
Scientists and disaster experts say the crisis highlights the growing danger posed by a warming Himalayas, where accelerating glacier loss, unstable slopes and glacial lakes can increase the risk of sudden floods and landslides. The immediate priority, however, remains the search for survivors as rescuers race against time to reach those still trapped underground.
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
