Progress at Nepal's flood-hit hydropower sites
India's specialised tunnel rescue team has made progress at two hydropower sites in flood-hit Nepal, establishing a foothold inside a tunnel at Chilime and probing up to 185 metres at Langtang, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava said on Monday.
The teams worked at the two sites with the Nepali Army despite bad weather and difficult access. India has deployed specialised teams to help Nepal after the flash floods of August 26 swept through northern and central parts of the country, killing hundreds, leaving thousands missing, and damaging homes, roads, bridges and hydropower projects.
Expert teams from India and China are assisting Nepal's rescue teams in tracing workers and employees who have remained unaccounted for at various hydropower project sites since the disaster, with many believed to be trapped inside tunnels. Srivastava said on X that he met India's technical teams deployed for tunnel rescue operations and was briefed on their work at the Langtang and Chilime tunnels.
"Despite inclement weather and difficult access conditions at Chilime, the team successfully established foothold at the tunnel and set up safety ropes inside tunnel," he said. At Langtang, he said the Indian team, along with Nepali forces, was able to probe up to 185 metres inside the tunnel, adding that rescue efforts would continue on Tuesday.
Srivastava also visited the Nepali Army base in Bidur, Nuwakot, which is serving as a staging post for rescue and relief operations in Rasuwa. He also met Nepal's Home Minister Sudan Gurung and Energy and Water Resources Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha and discussed India's support for Nepal's rescue and relief work.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, 158 Indian nationals had been rescued from flood-affected areas in Nepal as of Monday. The ministry also said a specialised Indian forensics team continued its work in Kathmandu with Nepal Police's Forensic Science Laboratory, discussing the optimisation of various protocols and do.
Official statements and coordination
The Indian Ambassador's comments came in a post on X, where he detailed the team's achievements and the ongoing coordination with Nepali authorities. The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu has been actively involved in supporting Nepal's relief efforts, with Srivastava meeting with Nepal's Home Minister and Energy and Water Resources Minister to discuss bilateral cooperation in the wake of the disaster.
The flash floods, which struck on August 26, have caused widespread devastation, affecting thousands of families and severely damaging infrastructure across northern and central Nepal. The international response, including from India and China, has been focused on reaching workers trapped in tunnels at several hydropower sites, a challenging operation given the difficult terrain and weather conditions.
The Indian team's progress at Chilime is seen as a significant step in the rescue operations, as it has allowed for the setting up of safety ropes and improved access for further probing. At Langtang, the team's ability to penetrate 185 metres into the tunnel indicates a determined effort to locate any survivors, with operations planned to continue the following day.
The Ministry of External Affairs' update on the rescue of Indian nationals underscores the broader humanitarian effort, while the forensics team's work in Kathmandu highlights the need for thorough investigation and identification in the aftermath of the disaster.