Crews Blast Through Mud And Rock To Reach Trapped Workers In Nepal Tunnel

Video filmed by the Nepali Army shows crews opening a hole at the outlet of the Trishuli 3A tunnel as they work to reach workers believed trapped underground after the August 26 Bhote Koshi flash flood.

A yellow SANY breaker and a JCB excavator smash through rock and mud blocking the tunnel mouth. A rescuer is lowered by rope into a dark shaft while others watch from the rim, including people wearing helmets marked KTFT and an “ARMY” shirt.

Later, soldiers and workers in red helmets and high-visibility vests dig through wet debris by hand, fill a wheelbarrow and operate a small tracked excavator.

Rescuers wearing orange “NEPALI ARMY RESCUER” jackets and a yellow vest reading Nepali Army gather around another opening with a yellow hose, pulling at the hole.

The Army and a joint team continued work at Upper Trishuli 3A to reach workers believed trapped in the underground works. Officials said 221 people were pulled out alive from the project early on, while others remained unaccounted for in the tunnel and powerhouse.

By September 2, engineers said the tunnel mouth had been located and crews were blasting rock and clearing mud from the outlet so a team could enter. Chinese specialists were also assigned to the site.

Across the flood-hit hydropower belt, hundreds of workers were still listed missing.