The Nepal Army has reported finding no one inside the tunnel of the 111MW Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project. However, three employees who were on duty inside the tunnel when the Bhotekoshi flood struck remain unaccounted for, raising questions about their whereabouts.
A team comprising the Nepal Army, project engineers, and a drone searched the tunnel up to its far end. This search was conducted due to concerns that people might have been trapped inside. The team stated that they found no human presence and returned to Dhunche after completing the operation.
Despite the search, the whereabouts of three employees, reportedly on duty inside the tunnel when the flood hit, are still unknown. This apparent discrepancy has led to questions regarding what happened to the three workers and the sufficiency of the tunnel search.
According to a project official, three employees were indeed on duty inside the tunnel when the flood occurred. The power plant was operational at the time, with employees working in two shifts: from 7 AM to 7 PM and from 7 PM to 7 AM.
“The plant was running. The night-shift employees went there at 7 PM and were on duty until 7 AM,” the official stated.
The three employees on duty inside the tunnel have been identified as Kishor Neupane from Palpa, Santosh Paudel from Pyuthan, and Chhiring Tamang from Rasuwa. Their current location remains unknown. These three individuals were responsible for tasks related to operating the power plant.
“There were three people inside the tunnel, and around 14 to 15 people in total outside,” the official added. Employees were also working outside the tunnel, including at the switchyard, where staff had been deployed for the night shift.
Army Searched Tunnel to Its End
Search and rescue operations at the project did not commence immediately after the flood. The rescue team was unable to reach the project site until Saturday, with the search operation only beginning on Sunday. The Nepal Army subsequently entered the tunnel, accompanied by project engineers and a drone team, following concerns that workers could be trapped inside.
The team thoroughly searched the tunnel, reaching its far end, but reported finding no people. Project officials confirmed that their engineers had indeed accompanied the Army team during the search.
“Our engineers also went inside, and the Army team went as well,” the official confirmed.
However, there is still no confirmed explanation for what happened to the three workers who were reportedly on duty inside the tunnel when the flood struck. Although the search team claims to have reached the end of the tunnel, authorities have not established whether the three workers managed to leave the tunnel before or during the flood, or if they moved to another part of the project site.
93 Workers Remain Unaccounted For
The three workers inside the tunnel are among dozens of individuals whose whereabouts are still unknown after the flood. According to the project, employees and workers were stationed both inside and outside the tunnel when the disaster occurred. Those working outside included two cleaning workers, two guards, two cooks, and an engineer, in addition to other employees assigned to the night shift.
“There were three people on duty inside the tunnel. Others were at the switchyard outside, while another employee assigned to the night shift was also on duty outside,” the official explained.
The flood also trapped six people in the project’s underground desander. Four of these individuals managed to exit on their own after spending two days in challenging conditions. The Nepal Army later rescued them by helicopter and transported them to Kathmandu.
While these four survived by reaching safer areas, the fate of the three employees who were on duty inside the Rasuwagadhi tunnel remains unclear.
