Foreign rescue teams have begun arriving in Nepal to support search-and-rescue efforts following severe flooding that has impacted several regions. Among the first to deploy was a specialized tunnel rescue unit from neighboring India, prepared to assist workers trapped in hydroelectric power station tunnels along flood-affected rivers, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said Saturday in Kathmandu.

A Chinese search-and-rescue contingent is also expected to arrive soon, according to Khanal, who noted that Nepal’s government had requested technical assistance to bolster ongoing operations. The teams face challenging conditions, with difficult terrain hindering access and complicating rescue efforts.

Because of the region’s complex geography and the damage caused by the floods, helicopters have been unable to reach some affected areas, necessitating land-based deployment of rescue personnel. The specialized teams are focusing their efforts on locating and extracting workers trapped in tunnels, where flooding has increased the danger.

Officials have not provided updated figures on casualties or the number of individuals still missing, but the ongoing operations underscore the scale of the disaster and the urgency of coordinated international aid. The involvement of multiple foreign rescue units highlights Nepal’s reliance on external support to manage the response in remote and difficult-to-access zones.