Over 900 workers trapped or missing at 11 Nepal hydropower sites after floods

At least 934 people are trapped or out of contact at 11 hydropower projects and tunnel sites in Nepal’s Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts, among the areas worst hit by Wednesday’s flash floods, according to data available to rescuers.

The affected workers include nationals of Nepal, India, South Korea and China. A Nepal energy ministry official said the actual number could be higher than 1,000, particularly because several of the projects are still under construction and may have workers who are not officially registered, Hindustan Times has reported.

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Several projects report workers missing

At the 243 MW Upper Trishuli 1 Hydropower project, 350 of the 576 people reported missing had been rescued by Saturday morning.

The Rasuwagadi Hydropower project, with a capacity of 111 MW, had 93 people unaccounted for, while 42 were reported missing from the 20 MW Langtang Khola project. Upper Trishuli 3B, a 37 MW project, reported 158 missing workers, while 42 were missing from Upper Trishuli 3A.

“We have information that at the Rasuwagadi Hydropower project (111MW), where 93 people were missing, 3 workers managed to escape. There are at least 2 Chinese nationals among the Indian and Nepalese workers at the project. It is an operational project, so these people were part of maintenance.

The Army has brought in experts and its personnel to conduct the rescue operation. They are digging through the debris to rescue the trapped people. Some firms are also managed by Chinese and South Korean personnel, so they are among those reported missing,” an official was quoted as saying by HT.

Nepal Army steps up rescue operations

Nepal Army spokesperson Brigadier General Raja Ram Basnet said the army has 15 helicopters and at least 84 trained personnel, besides hundreds of rescuers involved in the operations.

“We won’t comment on the number of people trapped. The operation is ongoing at several hydropower project sites.”

The ministry said the projects are operated by several companies, including Nepal Water and Energy Development Company, Rasuwagadi Hydropower Company and Nepal Electricity Authority.

India’s NDRF remains on standby

India has sent an 11-member team of medical and tunnel experts along with another flight carrying relief assistance. However, Nepal has not yet formally requested NDRF assistance.

NDRF officials said the Home Ministry has asked them to remain ready to deploy.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has also urged Union Home minister Amit Shah to consider sending NDRF personnel.

“The NDRF’s expertise and experience in responding to natural disasters can provide valuable support in efforts to save lives and bring urgent relief to those facing this immense tragedy,” he said.