Combined Nepal-China death toll reaches 955, with 4,471 missing; South Korean government rapid-response team and Doosan Enerbility helicopter join search; one body recovered from tunnel where 9 South Koreans worked

Rescue workers carry the body of a victim killed in a landslide at a mass burial site in Chitwan, Nepal, on Monday (local time). [AP]
Rescue workers carry the body of a victim killed in a landslide at a mass burial site in Chitwan, Nepal, on Monday (local time). [AP]

On the sixth day since catastrophic flooding struck Nepal, authorities mounted an all-out effort Monday (local time) to rescue hundreds of workers believed to be trapped inside hydropower plant tunnels. Up to 900 people are estimated to be stranded within the tunnels.

Nepal's National Disaster Management Authority said at least 933 workers are estimated to be isolated inside tunnels at six flood-damaged hydropower plant sites, and that rescuers are focused on reaching them. At the Trishuli 3A site in Bagmati Province in central Nepal, rescue teams successfully entered a tunnel after drilling four holes through its upper section and are working to determine the location and condition of those trapped inside.

Rescue teams released photos and video showing heavy machinery digging through mud and rock while Nepali army soldiers, police and other rescue personnel descended into pits to find entry points into the tunnels.

Nepali Army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet told Reuters that "enormous amounts of debris have accumulated, making it extremely difficult to open the tunnels," adding that "our primary objective is to open them." Improving weather has helped accelerate the rescue effort. As recently as Saturday, rescue operations had been temporarily suspended after heavy rains swelled rivers and raised the risk of secondary disasters.

According to the Nepali Army, rescuers recovered one body from a tunnel at the Upper Trishuli (UT)-1 power plant, where nine missing South Korean workers had been stationed. The army said a Chinese tunnel rescue team supporting the operation had penetrated roughly 300 meters into the tunnel before finding the body. The victim's nationality and other identifying information have not yet been confirmed. A South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said the ministry is working to verify details about the body's identity through the local embassy.

The Upper Trishuli-1 plant was under construction by Korea South-East Power (KOEN) and Doosan Enerbility, and is where the nine missing South Koreans had been working. Surendra Dhauluri, 33, an Indian worker rescued from the site on Saturday, told AFP that when the flooding hit, "there was a very loud noise, and I saw the floor of the turbine room submerged in water mixed with mud and ice, trapping six workers inside." He said some workers had managed to evacuate to higher ground or construction zones out of reach of the floodwaters, adding, "We rescued five, but one died."

Mohan Kumar Dangi, chairman of the Independent Power Producers' Association of Nepal, told AP that 576 people had lost contact at the Upper Trishuli-1 plant, with about 300 of them believed to be trapped inside tunnels. A Doosan Enerbility helicopter flew over the office building and upper weir dam at the plant — the last known location of the missing South Koreans — conducting an aerial search. Rescue personnel also landed near the plant's powerhouse to assess conditions on the ground. A South Korean government joint rapid-response team deployed a separate helicopter for its own aerial search.

Nepali rescue teams also recovered two bodies from a tunnel at the Chilime hydropower plant. An Indian tunnel rescue team supporting the operation advanced about 100 meters inside before being stopped by mud blocking further entry.

Nepal's National Disaster Management Authority said the domestic flood death toll has risen to at least 939, though the number of missing was revised down to 3,925 — including 592 foreigners — a reduction of roughly 320 from the previous count. No detailed explanation has been given for the decrease, including whether some of the missing have been confirmed dead.

In China's Tibet Autonomous Region, which borders Nepal, 16 people have been confirmed dead and 546 are missing, among them an estimated 261 foreigners. Combined, the floods and landslides have killed at least 955 people and left 4,471 missing across the two countries.

Authorities in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh, which borders Nepal, announced they had recovered 17 bodies — believed to be flood victims — from the Gandak River, a downstream tributary of Nepal's Trishuli River, as of Monday. Indian authorities are working to identify the remains. The bodies have not yet been included in Nepal's official death toll.

Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah wrote on Facebook that "our country is facing an unimaginably heartbreaking natural disaster" and that "it is extremely difficult to fully grasp the scale of damage to lives, property and infrastructure." He added: "Despite the challenges posed by harsh weather, rugged terrain and ongoing dangers, we will press forward with the resolve to protect the lives of our citizens."


kate01@heraldcorp.com