Hundreds feared trapped in hydropower tunnels as flood deaths top 950 in Nepal and China

NEPAL, CHINA, RASUWA, NUWAKOT, DHADING, GYIRONG PORT, TIBET, CHITWAN, DHAKA, 1 SEPTEMBER 2026 —

KATHMANDU, Aug 31 (Reuters) — Rescue teams in Nepal are racing against time to free hundreds of workers believed trapped in mud-filled tunnels at hydropower plants along the Nepal-China border, as the death toll from catastrophic flash floods surpasses 950 and the number of missing exceeds 4,400.

In Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts, two of the worst-hit areas in Nepal, at least 900 workers are unaccounted for across 12 damaged hydropower projects, according to the Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN). Around 500 of these workers are believed to be trapped inside massive tunnels designed to control water flow.

Rescue teams have managed to establish contact with some trapped workers, who reported colleagues still inside, but fears are growing that oxygen supplies may be running low.

“These tunnels are big enough to drive trucks through,” said Jakob Steiner, a geoscientist at the University of Graz in Austria, who is monitoring the situation from Dhaka. “Some trapped workers may have access to oxygen, but it’s a race against time. They need food and water, and the longer they remain inside, the slimmer the chances of survival.”

At the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project in Rasuwa, at least 576 people are missing, with around 300 believed trapped in the tunnel. Rescue crews are attempting to descend 15 meters into a tunnel at the Trishuli-3 project to reach those inside, according to Nepal Army spokesman Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet. Meanwhile, workers at a flood-ravaged power station in Dhading—a critical link providing electricity to over 20,000 people—are clearing mud to restore operations.

On the Chinese side of the border, rescue efforts have focused on rebuilding a key road leading to the Gyirong Port crossing, which regulates travel between China and Nepal. State broadcaster CCTV showed workers using trucks to repave a section of the road, now submerged under 2 to 3 meters of water.

The effort is taking place just over a kilometer from the border, but access remains severely restricted by the swollen rivers and ongoing rains.

Chinese state media has emphasized the official response, highlighting the deployment of firefighters, the People’s Liberation Army, and directives from top leadership. However, details about victims on the Chinese side remain scarce, with little information about their identities or circumstances.

The disaster began after a glacial collapse high in the Himalayas triggered a magnitude 5.2 seismic event, sending rocks and melted water cascading into valleys below. The resulting floodwaters swept away buildings, bridges, and entire sections of earth in both Tibet and Nepal, submerging roads and isolating communities. Scientists analyzing satellite imagery confirmed the collapse of bedrock beneath a glacier, which exacerbated the flooding.

Among the missing are 49 Indian pilgrims who were returning from Mount Kailash, a sacred site in southwestern Tibet. Their group was caught in the floodwaters while waiting to cross into Nepal at a Chinese immigration complex. Surveillance footage showed water surging through the facility as people scrambled to escape. Maraval Nagappan, a travel company owner from Chennai, traveled to Nepal to search for his son, Sathya Narayan, who was leading the group.

Nagappan has visited rescue centers, morgues, and traveled up to 40 kilometers from where his son was last seen, but has found no trace of him.

“I haven’t heard from my son since Aug. 14,” Nagappan told Reuters. “I don’t know whether he is alive or dead.” The pilgrimage had been scheduled to conclude within two hours of the flood, but instead, the group was swept away in the torrent.

The floods have also forced authorities in Nepal to bury unidentified bodies in temporary graves, a measure criticized by some for disregarding Hindu funeral traditions. In Chitwan district, paramilitary forces carried bodies to mass burial sites, while distraught relatives, like Muna Khadka, mourned the loss of loved ones. In Dhading, survivors sifted through mud to recover belongings, including a student who found her bag among the debris at Shree Bagheswori Madhyamik School.

As rescue operations continue, the scale of the disaster is becoming clearer. The floods have disrupted critical infrastructure, including hydropower plants that supply electricity to thousands, and severed key transportation routes between Nepal and China. The road to Gyirong Port, now partially underwater, is a trade and pilgrimage corridor, and its restoration is a priority for both countries.

International aid and rescue teams, including those from India and Bangladesh, have joined the efforts, but access remains limited due to the ongoing risk of landslides and unstable conditions. The Nepalese government has called for additional support, while China has mobilized its military and emergency services to manage the crisis on its side of the border.

For families like Nagappan’s, the uncertainty is unbearable. With each passing day, the likelihood of finding survivors diminishes, leaving behind only grief and unanswered questions. As rescue teams push deeper into the tunnels and across the ravaged landscape, the focus remains on saving lives—but the window for hope is closing fast.

Related: Jakob Steiner