Nepal tunnel survivor describes ordeal after flood
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Sah, a 30-year-old worker in Nepal’s Saptari district, recounted his experience surviving for ten days trapped in a tunnel after a flood caused by a glacial mountain collapse on the China-Nepal border.
The August 26 flood struck a series of hydropower projects, killing at least 1,429 people and leaving over 5,640 missing, primarily in Nepal.
Sah and his colleagues received warnings about approaching floodwaters but did not have enough time to evacuate before the tunnel filled with water several metres high. Separated from his coworkers, Sah survived by drinking muddy water and drawing strength from his Hindu faith, chanting prayers and believing in divine energy. He was able to communicate with another trapped worker, Kabir Maharjan, offering both men a crucial lifeline during their isolation.
After days of excavation, rescue teams reached Sah and Maharjan, bringing them to safety. Sah expressed happiness at his rescue but mourned the loss of his colleagues. He urged the Nepalese government to continue searching for other missing workers, believing there may still be survivors or that the bodies of the deceased can be recovered and returned to their families. One Chinese worker was rescued on September 5, but no further contact has been made with others.
