Nepali Army Rescues 883 in Rasuwa Flood Crisis, 350 Pulled From Trapped Tunnel
The Nepali Army has rescued 883 people in flood-hit Rasuwa, including 350 workers and locals trapped inside a hydropower tunnel as emergency operations continue.
The Nepali Army has carried out one of the largest rescue operations in recent days, evacuating 883 people from flood-affected parts of Rasuwa district as fierce waters swept through the region. Among the most dramatic moments was the safe extraction of 350 people trapped inside a tunnel at the Upper Trishuli Hydropower Project.
Flooding in the Bhote Koshi River triggered a dangerous emergency that left workers and locals stranded in multiple locations. Even as water levels stayed high and the weather remained unstable, rescue teams pushed ahead with ground and air operations to reach people cut off by the disaster.
Rescue efforts under extreme pressure
The tunnel rescue drew urgent attention because more than 100 people were still reported to be inside while operations were underway. The army continued working through the difficult conditions, showing how quickly the disaster escalated into a high-risk emergency for infrastructure workers and nearby residents.
Rescuers faced a tough environment marked by rising water, blocked access routes, and ongoing flood danger. Despite that, the army managed to bring hundreds to safety, turning what could have become a far worse tragedy into a large-scale life-saving operation.
A wider disaster across Rasuwa
The rescue count of 883 reflects the broader scale of the flooding crisis, which affected workers, locals, and people stranded in several areas across the district. The situation has highlighted how vulnerable remote project sites and river-adjacent communities can be when sudden floods strike.
Hydropower sites were especially exposed because of their location near the river system and the speed with which floodwaters surged into operational zones. The incident has also raised fresh concerns about emergency preparedness in mountain infrastructure projects.
Why this rescue matters
This operation stands out not only because of the number of people saved, but also because it unfolded in one of the most dangerous settings imaginable for emergency responders. Pulling 350 people from a tunnel during a flood is a major logistical and safety challenge, and the scale of the broader evacuation makes the mission even more significant.
As rescue work continues, the focus remains on finding anyone still stranded, protecting displaced residents, and stabilizing the affected areas before the flood emergency grows any further.