Two workers rescued alive in Nepal nine days after being trapped in tunnel by floods

More than a week after flash floods struck the border between Nepal and Tibet, two people have been found alive inside a tunnel. The disaster has claimed more than 1,200 lives.

Sanjaya Shah and Kabir Maharjan were rescued from a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project. Footage from the operation captured the dramatic moment the two men were brought out alive after spending days trapped inside.

Authorities told the BBC that Shah and Maharjan had injuries to their hands and feet. Immediately after being brought out of the tunnel, they were flown by helicopter to a hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, to receive the necessary medical treatment.

At least 39 other people are believed to remain trapped in the tunnel where the two men were found, and search-and-rescue operations are continuing.

More than 100 other people are also considered missing in the network of tunnels spanning the hydropower plant areas along the Trishuli River.

The rescue of Shah and Maharjan alive has brought a glimmer of hope amid the dire situation, as emergency teams continue their efforts to locate the other missing people.

The floods swept through the area last Wednesday and are believed to have been caused by a glacial collapse. The powerful surge of water caused considerable damage, damaging or destroying buildings and roads in the affected regions.

Thousands of people remain missing, while the extensive flood damage has made the work of rescue teams on the ground particularly difficult.