Controlled blasts begin in Nepal as 933 workers are feared trapped in hydropower tunnels

Rescue forces in Nepal have launched an operation involving controlled blasts on the hillsides in an effort to reach workers believed to be trapped in the tunnels of a hydropower plant.

Some of the 933 missing workers are believed to be inside the Trishuli-3A hydropower complex in Rasuwa district. Teams are facing major difficulties in the field, while concerns are growing that the time available to find and rescue survivors is running out.

A controlled blast was carried out at around 02:00 on Monday near the hydropower plant, with the aim of opening a new route to the areas where people are believed to be trapped.

The operation followed a statement by the prime minister’s office on Sunday, according to which rescue efforts were being “intensified” and would also include “blasting operations.”

Meanwhile, two excavators have dug a hole about 10 meters deep. The Nepalese Army is working to remove the water, mud and debris that have blocked the tunnel of the Trishuli-3A hydropower plant.

The teams’ aim is to create a safe corridor as quickly as possible, through which they can enter the tunnels and determine the fate of the missing workers.