Kathmandu, Aug 29 — A specialised technical team from India has begun on-site reconnaissance of hydropower tunnels in Nepal’s flash flood-affected areas to facilitate the search and rescue of people stranded inside the tunnels, the Indian Embassy in Nepal said on Saturday.
India sent an 11-member rescue team comprising doctors, paramedics and personnel specialising in tunnel rescue operations at Nepal's request.
The specialised technical team reached the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project in Rasuwa district, where rescue efforts are underway for people believed to be trapped inside a tunnel following the flash flood.
According to Nepal’s Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Indian team planned to conduct an initial aerial reconnaissance of the Chilime and Langtang areas by helicopter before proceeding with further rescue operations as required.
A joint team of 82 Nepali security personnel, including 62 members of the Nepali Army and 20 personnel from the Armed Police Force Nepal and Nepal Police, has been continuously deployed since Friday night to clear the tunnel entrance and accelerate the search operation, the PMO said.
“The rescue efforts have become highly challenging due to the adverse weather conditions prevailing in the area,” the PMO said in a statement.
With the rescue operation progressing slowly due to the limitations of local expertise, Nepal sought cooperation from India and China.
The Embassy said India continues to support Nepal’s ongoing relief and rescue efforts and remains engaged with Nepali authorities in the search and rescue of Indian nationals affected by the flash floods.
The Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN), an association representing the country’s private power producers, said as many as 934 people associated with 11 hydropower projects in Nepal’s flood-affected Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts remain out of contact.
According to the association, 730 people associated with six hydropower projects in Rasuwa and 204 people linked to five projects in Nuwakot remain out of contact following the devastating floods in the Bhote Koshi River on August 26. The floods caused extensive damage to hydropower projects and other infrastructure in the two districts.
According to IPPAN, the August 26 floods affected 13 hydropower projects in Rasuwa and Nuwakot, with a combined installed capacity of 675.6 MW.
Meanwhile, the First Secretary (Commerce) at the Embassy of India met Indian workers recently rescued from the Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower project to ascertain their safety and well-being, the Embassy said.
The flash flood caused extensive damage to infrastructure and disrupted hydropower projects and access routes in the affected areas, prompting Nepal and India to intensify search, rescue and relief operations.