Nepal Rescue Operation: More Than 100 Workers Trapped in Tunnel as Death Toll Rises to 472

A large-scale search-and-rescue operation has been launched in Nepal, where more than 100 workers are believed to be trapped in an underground tunnel at a hydroelectric dam construction site.

The incident occurred after massive landslides and severe flooding struck the northern part of the country near the border with China on Wednesday.

Raja Ram Basnet, a spokesperson for the Nepalese army, told AFP that authorities had been notified about people trapped in the tunnel at the dam construction site in Trishuli.

According to the prime minister’s office, around 350 workers and local residents have been urgently evacuated from areas at risk. However, more than 100 others are believed to still be inside the tunnel.

The death toll in northern Nepal from the landslides and flooding has reached at least 469, Nepalese police said in their latest update.

The disaster has caused significant damage in areas near the border with China, while emergency teams are working in several of the affected areas.

Three people have also died in Tibet, an autonomous region of China, according to Chinese authorities. These fatalities bring the preliminary death toll from the disaster to at least 472, while more than 1,400 people are reported missing.

Hundreds of foreign tourists are also believed to be among the missing. Rescue teams are continuing their efforts to find survivors and people who have yet to contact their families.