Rescue operations continued in Nepal and neighboring Tibet on Wednesday, nearly a week after a massive flood caused by a glacier collapse devastated the region, killing over 1,200 people and leaving thousands missing. The disaster struck on August 26, sending torrents of water, mud, and debris through mountain valleys and towns along the Nepal-China border.
In Nepal, authorities confirmed at least 1,204 deaths, with more than 4,200 individuals still unaccounted for. In Tibet, Chinese officials reported 21 fatalities and 541 others missing as the floodwaters swept through several communities. The affected area was home to multiple hydropower projects, including 11 operational stations and 15 under construction. The floods halted power generation and inflicted significant damage on these facilities.
Rescue efforts have increasingly focused on hydropower tunnels where workers might have survived the initial flood. Approximately 900 workers remain missing in these subterranean sites. Officials believe some tunnels contain dry chambers with air supplies, food, and water, which could sustain survivors. Amshu Kiran Shahi, a board member of the Nepal Electricity Authority, described efforts to pump oxygen into the tunnels to aid those trapped and said teams were "very confident" life could still be present. Specialized rescue units from India, China, and the United States have been deployed to assist with these operations.
At two key hydropower sites, including Trishuli-3A, rescuers are focusing their efforts due to the likelihood of dry, oxygenated chambers inside the tunnels. However, the overall chances of finding survivors elsewhere in the region are diminishing, according to Phanindra Paudel, a senior official at Nepal’s National Emergency Operation Center. Despite this, Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah pledged to continue search and rescue activities, emphasizing the priority of locating missing persons and supporting affected communities.
Across the border in Tibet, rescue teams have gained access to the core disaster zone following the reopening of a key road to the Gyirong border crossing, which had been destroyed by the flood. Authorities are conducting thorough searches of damaged infrastructure such as inspection buildings, parking lots, and dormitories. Heavy machinery, search dogs, and life-detection equipment have been deployed in the mountainous terrain, though ongoing rains, unstable cliffs, and fast-flowing rivers continue to complicate rescue efforts.
The United Nations Development Programme estimated that around 2.2 million tonnes of debris remain in the area, further hampering recovery work. Forensic specialists from China and Singapore are expected to arrive soon to aid in the identification of victims, a challenging task as the number of deceased rises and the condition of recovered bodies deteriorates.
As operations press on, the priority remains rescuing those trapped in tunnels and delivering aid to survivors, though officials express growing concern over the dwindling likelihood of additional survivors being found.