Rescuers in Nepal pulled out a Chinese man and a woman in separate operations on Saturday, 10 days after devastating floods swept through the country. Teams continued searching for thousands of people still missing in the aftermath.
Rescue from the Trishuli Hydropower Project
A Chinese man was rescued from a hydropower tunnel, according to a social media post by the prime minister’s office. The rescue brought the total to three workers pulled alive from the Trishuli hydropower project, following the rescue of two Nepalese workers on Friday.
Nepal’s army said a joint rescue team of Nepalese military personnel and South Korean disaster experts pulled the man from a 225-meter (about 740-foot) tunnel. He was undergoing a health assessment after the operation. Images showed him being evacuated by helicopter, with an army medic checking on him during the flight.
Lu’s Survival Story
A photo released by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV showed two rescuers carrying the man, identified as Lu Haitao, out of the tunnel. CCTV also shared audio of Lu speaking to an officer, describing how he repeatedly shouted whenever he saw the rescue crews’ lights, but they could not hear him.
“When they rescued me today, when they shone (the light) before my eyes, I couldn’t believe it,” Lu said.
Lu was taken to a hospital, where he was reported to be in stable condition.
Search Efforts at Hydropower Projects
Rescue operations have increasingly focused on 12 hydropower projects across Nepal, where:
- About 900 workers are missing
- Roughly 500 workers are believed to be trapped in various tunnels
Specialized rescue teams from India, China, South Korea and the United States have been searching through debris, damaged structures and tunnels at the projects, hoping to find survivors.
Woman Rescued in Nuwakot
In flood-hit Nuwakot town, a woman was rescued alive from a house, according to Nepal’s army spokesperson. Officials said she was airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment.
Images released by Nepal’s army showed rescuers finding the woman covered in mud inside the damaged house. They gave her bottled water before pulling her to safety, wrapped in a gray blanket.
Scale of the Disaster
At least 1,300 people were killed in the Aug. 26 floods, which were likely caused by a glacier collapse. More than 5,000 people remain missing, according to Nepal’s disaster management agency.