Indian and Nepali rescue teams are intensifying their search for workers feared trapped inside flood-hit hydropower tunnels in Nepal’s Rasuwa district, days after devastating flash floods swept through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems on August 26.
Working alongside the Nepali Army, an Indian technical rescue team has made progress at the Chilime and Langtang hydropower sites despite difficult terrain, bad weather and heavily obstructed access. At Chilime, the team established a foothold inside the tunnel and installed safety ropes, while at Langtang, the joint team managed to probe up to 185 metres underground.
India’s Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava, also visited the Nepali Army’s base in Bidur, Nuwakot, to review the operation and meet the technical teams. The latest efforts come as the wider disaster has left hundreds of people missing around hydropower projects, with India also evacuating 158 of its citizens and providing technical, forensic and humanitarian assistance to Nepal.
Rescue Teams Enter Dangerous Tunnels
The Indian technical team began working with Nepali security forces at Chilime and Langtang after carrying out aerial reconnaissance of the affected areas. The 11-member specialist team includes tunnel engineers, doctors and paramedics, while additional Indian Army personnel have also been deployed to support the rescue operation.
At Chilime, rescuers are dealing with a tunnel filled with mud, silt and debris following the flash floods. Earlier, a joint team had reached about 100 metres inside the 250-metre-long tunnel, where two bodies were recovered. Nepal Army spokesperson Brigadier General Rajaram Basnet said at the time that no living people had been found up to that point, while the project authorities said several workers were believed to have been trapped inside.
The latest operation has focused not only on advancing further but also on making the route safer for rescuers. Ambassador Srivastava said on X that the Indian technical team had “successfully established foothold at the tunnel and set up safety ropes inside tunnel” despite inclement weather and difficult access conditions. At Langtang, the team working with Nepali forces was able to reach 185 metres into the tunnel. He added that rescue efforts would continue the following day.
A Race Against Time
The joint operation is unfolding amid one of Nepal’s most serious recent disasters, with hydropower infrastructure in Rasuwa and neighbouring districts suffering extensive damage. Rescue teams face destroyed roads and bridges, unstable mountain terrain and tunnels clogged by floodwater and debris. Reports indicate that hundreds of workers across several hydropower projects remain unaccounted for, with some believed to be inside underground structures.
The Chilime and Langtang operations are part of a wider international rescue effort involving Nepalese, Indian, Chinese and other specialist teams. Nepal has sought foreign expertise for particularly difficult tunnel searches, while its security forces remain central to operations because of their knowledge of the mountainous terrain and local access routes.
The human cost of the disaster is also becoming clearer. India’s Ministry of External Affairs said 158 Indian citizens had been safely evacuated from Nepal as of 9 pm on August 31. India has simultaneously deployed forensic specialists to work with Nepal Police and medical experts on DNA-related identification work. A fourth Indian humanitarian assistance flight also delivered 11 tonnes of supplies, including blankets, sleeping bags, tarpaulins, plastic sheets and hygiene kits.
The Indian mission has also stressed that its assistance extends beyond the tunnel teams. Ambassador Srivastava visited the Nepali Army base in Bidur, Nuwakot, described as a staging post for rescue and relief operations in Rasuwa. He met the Indian technical teams and received an update on their work at the Langtang and Chilime tunnels. He also met Nepal’s Home Minister and Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Minister to discuss India’s support for the ongoing rescue and relief operations.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The rescue effort in Rasuwa is a reminder that disasters do not recognise borders, and that saving lives must remain the priority above politics or geography. India and Nepal’s teams working together in dangerous tunnels show the importance of cooperation, technical expertise and trust during a crisis.
For families waiting for news of missing workers, every metre cleared by rescuers can carry enormous emotional significance. At the same time, the disaster raises difficult questions about the safety of workers, disaster preparedness and the resilience of hydropower infrastructure in an increasingly climate-vulnerable Himalayan region.
Also read: Nepal Floods: Little Boy Carries Younger Sister in Search of Missing Parents
