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Nepal Rescuers Find Two More Survivors After Flash Flood Disaster
Confirmed
In Short: In Nepal, rescuers continue to find survivors after a devastating flash flood, with two more people being pulled alive from a hydropower tunnel.
Rescuers in Nepal have found two more people alive after the catastrophic flash flood disaster that killed over 1,300 people and left thousands missing. The latest rescues bring the total number of survivors to four, including a Chinese national who was pulled from a tunnel at a hydropower site.
The floods, believed to have been triggered by a glacial collapse, swept through villages along the border between Nepal and Tibet, causing extensive damage. President Ram Chandra Paudel toured the affected areas on Monday, marking the 13th day since the disaster, and surveyed the damage. Flags across Nepal were flown at half-mast to honor the victims.
Among the few places where rescuers still see a chance of finding survivors are the tunnels that form part of the region's hydropower stations. About 115 people are believed to remain trapped in the Trishuli 3A tunnel alone, according to the Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal. The Nepal Army and South Korean disaster experts have been working together to rescue the trapped workers.
One of the rescued men, Amir Maharjan, expressed gratitude to God for his survival. "We are just grateful to God," he said. The AP reported that at least 1,287 people have been killed and more than 5,000 remain missing after the Aug. 26 floods. The flooding has caused at least 387.5 billion Nepalese rupees (about $2.5 billion) in damage to infrastructure and property.
The rescue efforts continue with the same intensity as they did on the first day. "We are making sure that no one is still stranded," said Raja Ram Basnet, an Army spokesperson. Soldiers on either side helped as a rescuer carried one of the workers on his back, while others were lifted out of the tunnel by rescue teams. The AP reported that the Nepal Army distributed images showing the rescue operations.
The government of Nepal is observing a national day of mourning, with flags at half-mast and government offices closed. The Ministry of Home Affairs stated that there are no government programmes organized as the rescue and search operation is still ongoing. The president's aide confirmed that the president toured the areas devastated by the floods on Monday.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- Nepalis observed a national day of mourning for the victims of the flash flood on Monday, lighting candles to mark the last day of the traditional 13-day Hindu mourning period.
- She was discovered alive on the fourth floor of the building by Nepal's Armed Police Force and airlifted to a hospital in Kathmandu for treatment.
- Oil lamps burn to mark the last day of the 13-day Buddhist mourning ritual in Dhunge, Nuwakot district, Nepal, 7 September 2026.
- On Friday morning, searchers heard men's voices, which prompted an all-out rescue mission with the help of the Nepal Army.
- A photo released by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV showed two rescuers carrying the man, called Lu Haitao, out of the tunnel.
- Specialised 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.
- A damaged residential building along the swollen Trishuli River in Nepal's Nuwakot district. ( AP: Rajesh Kumar Singh ) In flood-hit Nuwakot town, a woman named Chandika Kumari Shrestha was rescued alive from a house, Nepal's army spokesperson said Saturday.
- Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah said Ms Shrestha's rescue "has given hope to the entire nation".