Two workers pulled alive from Nepal tunnel nine days after deadly flash flooding - BBC

Two construction workers have been rescued alive from a water‑logged tunnel in Nepal’s Dhading district after being trapped for nine days following a sudden flash flood. The flood, which struck the region on July 20, caused a landslide that collapsed the entrance of the under‑construction tunnel, burying the workers and cutting off any direct access. Rescue teams first learned of the survivors when a small opening in the debris allowed a faint signal to be detected by a listening device, prompting a painstaking effort to locate and extract the men.

A joint operation involving Nepal’s Armed Police Force, the Nepalese Army’s engineering corps, and volunteers from local communities was launched immediately after the signal was heard. Over the course of three days, rescuers drilled a narrow shaft through the unstable rock, pumped out water, and supplied the trapped workers with air and food using a specially designed ventilation tube. On July 29, the two men—identified as 32‑year‑old Ram Bahadur and 28‑year‑old Suraj Prasad—were lifted to safety in a stretcher. Both were reported to be in stable condition, though they required medical attention for dehydration and minor injuries. Nepal’s Minister of Home Affairs praised the “heroic teamwork” that saved the lives, while Indian officials, whose neighboring country provided logistical support, noted that Nepal has not requested any compensation for the operation.

The incident underscores the growing complexity of natural hazards in the Himalayan region, where climate‑induced flash floods and landslides are becoming more frequent and severe. Experts cited by the *Deccan Herald* warn that existing early‑warning systems are lagging behind the pace of environmental change, leaving infrastructure projects vulnerable. The rescue highlights the urgent need for coordinated cross‑border disaster preparedness, upgraded monitoring technology, and robust engineering standards to protect workers and communities in the face of escalating mountain hazards.