Nepal Floods: Death Toll Surpasses 900 as Rescuers Search for Hundreds Trapped in Tunnels

The disaster, which struck last week, heavily impacted regions including Nepal’s Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts.

Hydropower Tunnels Become Focus of Desperate Rescue Efforts

Search and rescue operations are heavily concentrated on major energy projects where workers remain unaccounted for. According to Mohan Kumar Dangi, president of the Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN), at least 900 workers from 12 damaged hydropower facilities are missing, with an estimated 500 believed trapped inside gigantic water diversion tunnels.

“The tunnels are built to access hydropower infrastructure and to divert water—an essential step to generate energy. These tunnels are big enough to drive trucks through,” said Jakob Steiner, a geoscientist at the University of Graz in Austria. Steiner noted that the structures offer enough physical space for people to seek refuge, provided they have oxygen and avoid rising water.

Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet, Nepal’s army spokesperson, stated that military crews are actively trying to descend approximately 15 meters into tunnels at sites like the Trishuli-3 Hydropower Project. At the Upper Trishuli-1 project in Rasuwa, roughly 300 individuals remain unaccounted for inside the subterranean structures.

Rising Death Toll and Missing Persons Discrepancies

Official tallies from disaster management authorities highlight the staggering human scale of the catastrophe. Nepal’s disaster agency reported 903 deaths in the country, with 4,247 people—including 592 foreign nationals—still missing. Meanwhile, Chinese authorities reported 16 deaths and 546 missing individuals, with state media confirming that 261 of those missing on the Chinese side are foreign nationals, including more than 100 Nepalis.

The disaster struck cross-border transit routes hard, particularly near the Gyirong Port border crossing. Tour groups, hikers, and religious pilgrims traveling toward Mount Kailash were caught in the sudden torrent. Alpine Eco Trek operator Ram Kumar Adhikari said that several of his trekking groups and local guides lost contact moments before the mudslide obliterated the area.

Infrastructure Destruction and International Aid

Reaching the worst-hit zones continues to challenge emergency responders. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV showed road-rebuilding efforts near the border, where floodwaters surged 2 to 3 meters deep, paralyzing logistics. In Nepal, heavy machinery and military personnel have struggled to clear up to 5 feet of dense sediment blocking regional roadways.

International support has begun mobilizing to assist overburdened local agencies. The Singapore Red Cross announced a contribution of $1 million to aid flood victims, supporting emergency relief and distribution of survival essentials to displaced families across affected river basins.