Indian rescue teams step up search for people trapped in Nepal hydropower tunnels

An Indian tunnel rescue team is continuing its search and rescue operations to save the lives of people trapped inside tunnels of different hydropower projects following the devastating floods in the Bhote Koshi River last week, the Indian Embassy said on Aug 31.

"The tunnel rescue team from India worked with the Nepali Army's team to conduct search and rescue operations at hydropower tunnel sites in the Chilime and Langtang areas today," the embassy said, adding that the team would continue search and rescue operations in close coordination with the Nepali Army.

According to the Independent Power Producers' Association, Nepal (IPPAN), a representative association of private-sector power developers, a total of 897 people employed at 11 hydropower projects in the flood-affected districts of Rasuwa and Nuwakot have been out of contact.

According to Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), seven Indian and 15 Chinese nationals who were trapped in hydropower projects were rescued on Sunday.

At the request of the Nepali government, Indian and Chinese tunnel technicians arrived in Nepal and have been engaged in rescue efforts to evacuate people trapped inside hydropower tunnels.

On Aug 30, the Indian team was involved in rescue efforts at different hydropower projects, according to statements from Nepali government authorities and IPPAN.

The Secretariat of the Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation said that the Indian team that arrived to assist with the rescue operation conducted an initial aerial reconnaissance of the Chilime and Langtang areas by helicopter and plans to undertake further rescue operations as required.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah said in a Facebook post late Sunday evening that an Indian team conducted reconnaissance at the Chilime Hydropower Project (22MW) in Rasuwa in coordination with the Nepal Army and carried out rescue efforts after taking pumps and excavators to the site.

However, the rescue operation at the Chilime project on Sunday was halted after another flood swept away structures that had survived the previous flood in the dam area, according to IPPAN.

"At the Langtang Khola Hydropower Project in Rasuwa, the Nepal Army conducted search-and-rescue patrols," the Prime Minister said. "An Indian team has also conducted reconnaissance in coordination with the Nepal Army and has begun additional work after bringing pumps and excavators to the site."

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