11 Hydropower Projects Damaged as Rescue Efforts Intensify After Flash Floods

A total of 11 hydropower projects along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers were damaged by the devastating flash floods of August 26, as search and rescue operations continue across affected project sites. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), 279 people had been rescued as of Sunday, with the Nepali Army and technical teams continuing operations to reach workers believed to be trapped inside tunnels. At the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project, Nepal Water and Energy Development Company CEO Giriraj Adhikari said more than 250 workers had been rescued, while nearly 300 people are still believed to be trapped inside the tunnel area. The project has a 10-kilometre-long tunnel with three audit tunnels, where a group of workers, including Chinese nationals, is reportedly stranded. A Chinese team has been deployed to assess the situation, while a team of eight South Korean nationals has also conducted an aerial inspection of the affected areas. The Nepali Army said Chinese experts carried out a search extending up to three kilometres inside the tunnel as part of the rescue operation. Meanwhile, 42 workers at the Upper Trishuli 3 'A' Hydropower Project remain out of contact following the disaster. Acting Managing Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority Madan Timsina said rescue operations are underway, with a large number of personnel mobilized to the affected areas. Teams are also working to create access to the tunnel by opening a passage through its crown head. Search and rescue operations are continuing at Upper Trishuli 3 'B' Hydropower Project in Nuwakot, where Chinese experts are working in coordination with the Nepali Army. Preparations for rescue operations have also advanced at the Mailungkhola, Chilime and Langtang hydropower projects in Rasuwa. Authorities and project operators are coordinating with the Nepali Army, technical teams and foreign experts to locate and rescue workers who remain trapped or unaccounted for. The extensive damage to hydropower infrastructure and difficult tunnel conditions have made the rescue operation increasingly challenging, prompting teams to explore alternative access routes to reach affected workers and project sites.