Nepal floods 93 workers missing
The search for 93 workers feared trapped inside a tunnel at Nepal’s flood-hit Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project has so far yielded no result. Rescue teams reached the far end of the tunnel and deployed thermal drones to search areas that were difficult or dangerous to inspect directly, but found no indication that anyone was inside.
The operation in Rasuwa district involved personnel from the Nepali Army, engineers and a drone team. The search began after severe flooding in the Bhotekoshi River raised fears that workers at the hydropower project could have been stranded inside the tunnel.
The rescue team managed to reach the endpoint of the tunnel and inspected its interior using drones. Thermal imaging technology was used to check sections where direct access could have posed risks to rescuers.
However, the search detected no survivors and no indication of anyone being inside the tunnel. No bodies were found either, leaving the fate and whereabouts of the 93 missing workers unknown.
The devastating floods and landslides that struck Nepal’s Himalayan region on August 26 have caused widespread destruction, particularly in Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts.
Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said that 933 people associated with hydropower projects remain missing. Hundreds of workers are feared to have been trapped or gone missing across several hydropower tunnels.
Rescue teams are working through thick mud, rocks and debris to reach affected tunnels. Difficult terrain and the risk of further flooding and landslides have made the operation extremely challenging.
The lack of any sign of the 93 workers at Rasuwagadhi has heightened concerns among their families. Rescue teams are using drones and other technology to search parts of the tunnel that may be unsafe for personnel to enter.
Although the thermal-drone search did not detect any survivors, authorities continue to investigate other possible locations and routes through which the workers may have escaped or been swept away.
The disaster has also severely damaged Nepal’s hydropower infrastructure, with rescue teams continuing operations across several affected projects.
© Copyright 2026, cloudTV. All Rights Reserved
