Survivor Recounts Harrowing Escape From Nepal Flood Tunnels

Rescue efforts are ongoing in Nepal following a massive glacial flood in the Himalayas, with hundreds of workers feared trapped in tunnels of hydroelectric projects. Pemba Dorje Tamang, a worker at the Trishuli 3B hydropower project, described his terrifying escape from a tunnel as a "tsunami of water" surged through. He recounted being caught in a sudden, powerful gust of wind that tossed debris and then running for about 20 minutes to outrun the floodwaters.

Tamang estimated that 50 to 60 workers managed to escape the tunnel with him. He lost six family members in the disaster, including his mother, older brother, sister-in-law, and their three children. "Surviving feels miserable. I don't know where to eat or where to go," he told the BBC, expressing despair over his losses and the uncertain future of his livelihood.

Authorities, with assistance from Indian and Chinese teams, are racing against time to reach an estimated 639 workers believed to be trapped in over four kilometers of tunnels. Rescue teams are using heavy machinery to clear mud and rocks, and drones are being deployed to search for survivors, though initial drone surveys have found only mud and debris.

Experts suggest that better early warning systems might have helped mitigate the disaster, as satellite images reportedly showed signs of increasing instability in the glacier before its collapse. The flood, which occurred last week, has officially claimed over 1,000 lives in Nepal and Tibet, with nearly 4,500 people still missing, including two Israeli citizens.