Workers at the Trishuli-3A hydropower site began manually opening the tunnel’s upper section to reach about 900 missing people believed trapped after Nepal’s Aug. 26 floods.
An access road built over the past week has reached the excavation site, but more rock blasting and debris clearing are still needed before heavy machinery can move in, lawmaker Ram Neupane said.
India, China and the United States have sent specialized rescue teams, though authorities said it remains unclear whether anyone trapped in the tunnels is still alive.
At least 1,252 people have been confirmed dead in Nepal and more than 4,200 remain missing, while nearly 4,000 displaced survivors are staying in 34 relief centers amid medicine and cash shortages.
With 900 workers trapped in tunnels, could the looming breach of a newly formed barrier lake trigger a devastating second wave?
CCTV shows the flood struck in under ten minutes; what happened to the dozens of international travelers trapped at the border?
Why are desperate flood survivors forced to sell their emergency food rations just to survive the hidden medical crisis inside relief camps?
Nepal’s 2026 Langtang Glacier Disaster: Over 1,200 Dead, 4,200 Missing, and a $5 Billion Recovery—Rescue, Science, and the Global Climate Justice Crisis
Overview
On August 26, 2026, a catastrophic glacial collapse on Langtang Lirung mountain triggered a massive flash flood and debris flow that surged through Nepal’s Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts. The disaster blocked hydropower tunnels with mud and debris, trapping hundreds of workers and forcing the Nepalese army to launch large-scale rescue operations. The collapse also formed a temporary lake that overflowed, raising fears of renewed flooding, while destroyed bridges left remote communities dependent on helicopters for supplies. The floods knocked out major hydropower capacity, halted electricity exports, and caused billions in damage, exposing gaps in disaster warning systems and highlighting the urgent need for regional cooperation and climate justice.