Survivor's account
Raj Chhetri, a worker at the Trishuli-3A Hydropower Station in Nepal, has alleged that a Chinese supervisor fled Tunnel No. 3 after workers sensed danger, leaving several people trapped inside as a surge of water, mud, and debris swept through. Chhetri's account was reported by the Free Press Journal and India Today.
Chhetri said he was working inside the tunnel when he heard a loud noise. He approached a Chinese supervisor and asked for permission to leave. According to Chhetri, the supervisor replied that he would "go and see" or "go and check" before leaving the tunnel himself. The supervisor did not return, Chhetri alleged.
"I asked the Chinese supervisor to let us out. He said, 'I'll go and see,' and then he fled," Chhetri told India Today.
Shortly afterward, a powerful torrent of water, mud, and debris entered the tunnel, sweeping away workers, vehicles, and personal belongings. Chhetri said he ran toward the tunnel entrance and managed to escape.
"Four of us fled. Two are still missing," he said.
Scale of the disaster
Chhetri estimated that around 265 people were working inside Tunnel No. 3 when the floods struck. He said bodies were lying deeper inside the tunnel and that cries for help could be heard from trapped workers.
"The bodies of many hydropower workers are lying in the tunnel above. Many are still alive. We could hear cries of 'Save, save,'" he said.
The flash floods struck on August 26 after a glacier collapse triggered massive torrents of water, mud, and debris along the Nepal-Tibet border, affecting Nepal's Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts. At Trishuli-3A, at least 40 people remain unaccounted for, while over 900 workers are missing from hydropower projects affected by the floods, according to India Today.
The engineering work at Trishuli-3A is being carried out by China's Power China Corporation under the supervision of its personnel. The project involves Power China Corporation, as reported by the Free Press Journal.
Rescue efforts and broader impact
The Nepali Army is leading rescue operations, with help from tunnel and technical specialists from China, India, and other countries, the Free Press Journal reported. Rescue teams are using heavy equipment and specialised techniques to reach tunnels buried under mud and debris, but operations have been complicated by damaged infrastructure, poor weather, and the difficulty of accessing underground facilities.
Families of workers trapped in the flooded tunnels have voiced frustration over the pace of the rescue. The wife of an engineer trapped at Trishuli-3A said six days had passed with little sign of a meaningful rescue effort, according to India Today.
Chhetri also levelled broader allegations against China, saying, "What the Chinese government did was wrong. They knew about the flood and landslide." He added, "If we had received information beforehand, many lives and property could have been saved."
As of now, 1,126 people have died in Nepal, with over 4,000 still missing, according to police, as reported by India Today. In neighbouring Tibet, Chinese authorities have reported 16 deaths and 546 people missing.
Chhetri said he and other survivors spent the first few days in the forest, sleeping under a tree.
As of September 2, Chhetri's allegation regarding the Chinese supervisor had not been independently established, and no public response from Power China Corporation or Nepali investigators had been reported, according to the Free Press Journal.