Nepal hydropower projects in crisis as hundreds remain missing after floods.

Rescue efforts intensify amid communication blackout and calls for international assistance.

Massive floods and landslides have wreaked havoc across Nepal, devastating 13 hydropower projects and leaving more than 650 workers unaccounted for. The disaster has triggered urgent rescue operations, with fears mounting that many may be trapped inside tunnels at project sites cut off by damaged roads and collapsed communication networks.

According to the Independent Power Producers’ Association of Nepal (IPPAN), 933 workers were initially reported missing after the floods struck. Rescue teams have so far rescued 254 individuals, while establishing contact with others. However, hundreds remain untraceable, raising grave concerns about their safety.

The situation is particularly dire at the Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower project, a 216 MW run-of-river facility, where 576 workers are still unaccounted for. Around 1,350 people were employed at the site when the disaster hit. “There is no clear information about their whereabouts. If some are trapped inside tunnels and reached in time, there is hope of saving them,” said IPPAN Senior Vice-President Uttam Bhlon.

Nepal’s Foreign Ministry has formally sought assistance from India, acknowledging that domestic rescue teams alone may not be able to handle the scale of the crisis. India is preparing to send a specialized Tunnel Rescue Team, with a reconnaissance unit and medical support already being mobilized to assess conditions and determine the equipment required.

Among the projects requiring urgent intervention are Langtang Hydro, Upper Trishuli, Trishuli-3B, and Chilime, where workers are feared trapped underground. Rescue operations have been hampered by landslides that destroyed access roads and by a communication blackout that has made it difficult to confirm the exact locations of those missing.

Authorities are exploring the use of private helicopters to reach remote sites, but limited landing zones and safety risks have complicated aerial operations. With rescue efforts entering their third day, time is running out for those who may still be alive inside blocked tunnels.

The unfolding crisis highlights the vulnerability of Nepal’s hydropower sector to natural disasters, as well as the urgent need for coordinated international support to save lives and restore critical infrastructure.