Nepal flash floods: Rescue teams clear 70 metres of debris in tunnel as they close in on six trapped workers
Rescue teams in Nepal are working to reach six workers trapped in a tunnel at the Chilime hydropower project following recent flash floods. Joint efforts by Indian and Nepali personnel are utilizing heavy machinery to clear debris and establish contact with the trapped individuals.
Why it matters
The operation represents a high-stakes search-and-rescue mission involving international collaboration in the wake of a major natural disaster.
Rescue operations are continuing at Nepal’s Chilime hydropower project, where six workers are believed to be trapped inside a tunnel, with Indian and Nepali teams using heavy machinery to clear mud and debris and advance towards an underground powerhouse.
The operation gathered pace after an excavator, loader, and Bobcat were brought into the tunnel, India’s Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava said in an update on Saturday (September 12, 2026). The technical team cleared about 70 metres further, he said.
According to the project manager, the powerhouse is about 60 metres further down the tunnel. The rescue teams were to continue working through the night to reach it, Mr. Srivastava said.
The Border Roads Organisation has also prepared the approach road to the rescue site, according to authorities.
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