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Journalism of Courage
Inside Nepal tunnel: Thermal drones hunts for survivors, can’t see any
The flash flood that swept through the Bhotekushi-Trishuli river corridor on August 26 was likely caused by an ice-rock avalanche in the northern mountainous district
thermal drone nepal hydropower tunnel
The images are eerie, almost ghostly.
A thermal drone was sent into a tunnel in Nepal‘s Rasuwa district – part of a hydropower plant devastated by the Bhotekoshi flash flood – on Monday.
At least 93 people are believed lost somewhere in that tunnel, buried under mud, debris, and boulders that swept through the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli river corridor after flash floods triggered upstream. They have been buried since the floods swept through the valley last week, burying entire villages and destroying roads, bridges, and hydroelectric plants.
The drone was supposed to locate them. But it found no trace of the workers, and the dull black-and-white of the feed it recorded was a discouraging sign for rescue teams and the workers’ families. The only good news is the drone only explored the tunnel’s upper sections; deeper layers remain unsearched.
The condition inside the #Rasuwaghadi Tunnel captured by thermal drone! The situation where no one has been found at surface level up to the location reached by the drone and the army!#nepal #tunnelrescue#flashflood
Video. Manish Maharjan (Drone Pilot) pic.twitter.com/zQspCEnASM
— War Diaries (@cool_crusader) August 31, 2026
Overall, an estimated 933 people are still trapped in tunnels beneath 11 hydropower electric projects across Nepal, most of which are along the Bhotekoshi-Trishul river corridor.
Many of the plants are in that district, which is near the border with Tibet, and in neighbouring Nuwakot. Authorities believe many of the missing are either trapped inside silt‑filled tunnels or have been swept downstream.
Details about the missing or trapped workers is sketchy at this time, but data compiled by US broadcaster CNN suggests the majority – over 570 – are from the Upper Trishuli 1 project, with another 122 from the Upper Trishuli 3B facility.
AI-generated image
The CNN report also quoted Mohan Shakya, a spokesperson for Nepal’s Ministry of Energy, on Sunday morning as saying holes had been drilled into some tunnels to ensure a supply of oxygen and to supply food and water.
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| Hydropower Project / Site | Missing (approx.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Upper Trishuli‑1 | 576 | Largest cluster; Korea‑led project (Doosan/KOEN). Many feared trapped in tunnels or buried near weir/base camp. |
| Upper Trishuli‑3B | 122 | Major construction workforce along Bhote Koshi–Trishuli corridor. |
| Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project | 93 | Significant damage reported at project site. |
| Upper Trishuli‑3A | 42 | Part of Upper Trishuli cascade in Rasuwa/Nuwakot. |
| Langtang River | 42 | Project on Langtang river system in flood‑affected district. |
| Chilime | 8 | Existing plant; tunnel access reported as extremely difficult. |
| Melung River | 7 | — |
| Rasuwa–Bhotekoshi | 4 | Smaller project in flood‑affected district. |
| Middle Trishuli Ganga | 2 | — |
| Trishuli Hydropower Project | 1 | — |
| Devighat Hydropower Project | 1 | Older plant on Trishuli river. |
| Total (approx.) | 900 | Figures as provided; subject to change as rescue operations continue. |
Source: CNN.
The Express aggregated data from multiple sources, including the Nepali government and global news reports, to arrive at a similar conclusion.
The two Upper Trishuli projects account for over 700 missing people.
| Hydropower Project | Capacity (MW) | Missing (approx.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Trishuli‑1 | 216 | ~500+ | Largest cluster; Korea‑led project (Doosan/KOEN). Many feared trapped in tunnels or buried near weir/base camp. |
| Upper Trishuli‑3B | 37 | ~213 | Major construction workforce along Bhote Koshi–Trishuli corridor. |
| Rasuwagadhi | 111 | ~93 | Significant damage reported at project site. |
| Upper Trishuli‑3A | 60 | ~42 | Part of Upper Trishuli cascade in Rasuwa/Nuwakot. |
| Langtang Khola | — | ~42 | Capacity not specified in initial reports. |
| Rasuwa–Bhotekoshi | — | 4 | Smaller project in flood‑affected district. |
| Melung Khola | — | 7 | — |
| Middle Trishuli | — | 2 | — |
| Trishuli Hydropower Plant | — | 2 | — |
| Trishuli 3B Hub Substation | — | 16 | Substation linked to Trishuli projects. |
| Chilime | — | 8 | Existing plant; tunnel access reported as extremely difficult. |
| Devighat | — | 1 | Older plant on Trishuli river. |
| Rasuwa Distribution Center | — | 1 | Support/operations staff. |
| Total (approx.) | — | ~933 | Figures from IPPA/NDRRMA‑linked reports as of ~30 Aug 2026; subject to change. |
Source: Nepal’s Independent Power Producers’ Association (IPPA) and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), as reported by Al Jazeera, Reuters and other major outlets (data as of ~30 August 2026).
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And nearly 180 others are missing across the Rasuwagadhi, Upper Trishuli 3A and Langtang Khola projects.
In a macabre race against time, rescue teams are working with experts from India and China to save as many as possible. But access to these tunnels has been compromised by the wall of mud and boulders that swept down the valley, causing cave-ins in each shaft.
Nepal has intensified rescue efforts to free hundreds of people trapped inside tunnels at hydropower projects, including the Trishuli-3A site, following Wednesday’s flash floods.
Rescuers, including experts from India and China, are trying to make contact with those inside the… pic.twitter.com/RNnhAGzKrE
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) August 31, 2026
Pictures and videos shared by rescue teams show earth-moving equipment digging through tonnes of mud and rock, and working through the night. In one video Nepalese soldiers – deployed in large numbers to boost rescue ops – shine torchlights into a pit dug so rescuers can crawl into one tunnel.
WATCH: Video released by authorities show rescue teams at Trishuli hydropower project in Nuwakot district working to reach those stranded inside tunnels. At least 933 workers are believed to be trapped at around half a dozen hydropower projects in Nepal https://t.co/DvIGCdOMKm pic.twitter.com/DTn804v7R5
— Reuters Asia (@ReutersAsia) August 31, 2026
“A large amount of debris has been deposited and that poses a big challenge…,” Army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet told Reuters. “Our main focus is on opening the tunnels.”
Four Chinese tunnel rescue experts who arrived in Nepal aboard two Y-20 large transport aircraft of the #PLA Air Force headed straight to the disaster zone after landing in Kathmandu, #Nepal, to join rescue operations at a tunnel site in the northern district of Rasuwa. pic.twitter.com/YPPs6fHF0F
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) August 31, 2026
Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah – who was sworn in less than six months ago after a violent student-led uprising – called the flood an ‘unprecedented and devastating natural disaster’ and has called for international aid for Nepal.
The floods have claimed over 900 lives so far and that number will increase over the next few weeks, as rescuers recover more bodies and re-establish links with remote areas cut-off after roads and bridges were destroyed. Over 4,200 people, including those in the tunnels, are still missing on the Nepal side of the border. An additional 546 are missing on the China side.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
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