Two workers were rescued alive from a tunnel at Nepal’s Trishuli 3A hydropower project on Friday, nine days after devastating flash floods struck the region. One of the survivors, 30-year-old foreman Sanjay Sah, said he spent the nine days trapped inside the tunnel chanting the ‘Hare Krishna’ mantra and praying for rescuers to reach him.
Sah told security personnel that he remained behind after others escaped because he believed it was his responsibility to ensure everyone’s safety. He said he was able to hear or communicate with three or four people trapped nearby and believed more workers could still be inside the tunnel.
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The second survivor, 45-year-old mechanical supervisor Kabir Maharjan, was airlifted to the Nepal Army Hospital in Kathmandu and is reportedly in critical condition. Sah is receiving treatment at Trishuli Hospital in Nuwakot.
Maharjan’s family described his rescue as a “miracle” after days of uncertainty. His wife said the rescue felt like her husband had been given a “second life” and thanked the rescuers.
The floods have killed at least 1,287 people in Nepal, while 5,083 remain missing, according to the latest figures cited in the report.
