Nepal Glacier Collapse: Rescue Race for Hundreds Trapped in Flooded Tunnels

A desperate race against time is underway in Nepal to rescue approximately 639 workers trapped inside a network of flooded hydroelectric tunnels following a massive glacier collapse in the Himalayas. The official death toll from the disaster has surpassed 1,000, with over 4,500 people still missing, including two Israeli citizens. Pemba Dondo Tamang, a worker who escaped the tunnels, described the terrifying moments of the disaster to the BBC, recounting how he ran for his life for about 20 minutes as water pursued him.

Tamang explained that a strong gust of wind had hurled plywood and heavy equipment just before the powerful water surge entered the tunnels. He tragically lost six family members, including his mother and brother, in the incident. The complex rescue operation involves the armies of Nepal, India, and China, utilizing heavy machinery to clear mud and rocks.

Drone operator Manish Maharjan assisted the rescue forces with thermal drones, describing the tunnels as being filled with mud "like toothpaste in a tube," leaving no empty space. Experts warn that the critical 72-hour survival window without water has passed, increasing fears that the trapped workers may have succumbed to suffocation or dehydration, although efforts to supply oxygen continue.

Thomas Chandler from the National Center for Disaster Preparedness noted that subterranean rescue operations are not unprecedented, citing a 2023 incident in India where 41 workers were rescued after 17 days of sustenance provided through pipes. Meanwhile, a recent scientific report based on satellite imagery revealed signs of instability in the glacier days before its collapse, sparking criticism over the lack of early warning systems that could have saved lives.