Nepal flood toll jumps to 903, race to free hundreds trapped in hydropower tunnels

Download AppNewsIndiaNepal flood toll jumps to 903, race to free hundreds trapped in hydropower tunnels Nepal's flood and mudslide death toll has risen to 903, with over 2,500 people missing. Indian, Chinese and Nepali rescue teams are searching hydropower tunnels for trapped workers, while China's Xi Jinping has ordered intensified efforts to find survivors.Nepal has stepped up efforts to rescue people believed to be trapped inside tunnels at hydropower projects. (Credits: AFP)Nepal’s death toll from last week’s devastating floods and mudslides has risen to 903, while more than 4,200 people remain missing, as rescue teams worked overnight to reach hundreds of people believed to be trapped inside blocked hydropower project tunnels.The disaster struck on Wednesday along the Nepal-Tibet border, sending a massive torrent of ice, rock, mud and debris through valley towns and villages in Nepal and across the border into China.The unprecedented deluge, blamed on a glacier collapse, has caused widespread destruction and left hundreds of people dead or unaccounted for.Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed authorities to make every possible effort to search for people missing after the disaster and step up rescue and relief operations. The disaster has also severely affected Tibet, where 16 deaths and 546 missing people have been reported by Chinese state media.WHAT WE KNOW SO FARNepal’s death toll from last week’s devastating floods and mudslides has risen to 903, while more than 4,200 people remain missing. The disaster sent a torrent of ice, rock, mud and debris through towns and villages along the Nepal-Tibet border and into China. Rescue teams backed by Indian and Chinese experts are searching around half a dozen blocked hydropower tunnels, including Trishuli-3A. Nepal’s disaster authority said 933 people associated with hydropower projects are missing, while rescuers continue clearing mud and rocks to reach those trapped. An Indian tunnel rescue team worked with the Nepali Army at hydropower sites in Chilime and Langtang. Earth-moving machinery and soldiers have been working through the night to clear debris. Nepali Army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet said the massive deposits are making tunnel access difficult. A preliminary study by Nepali scientists found the floods were triggered by a massive ice-rock avalanche at around 5,200 metres in Rasuwa’s Langtang-Lirung area. The debris entered the Lhende River before surging through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli, ruling out a conventional GLOF. Prime Minister Balendra Shah called the floods an “unprecedented and devastating natural disaster”, with nearly 21,000 security personnel involved in rescue operations. The Red Cross estimates more than 90,000 people were affected, while authorities continue recovering and identifying bodies. - EndsPublished By: Devika BhattacharyaPublished On: Aug 31, 2026 10:23 IST