River water smashed into tunnel and chased me for 20 minutes, Nepal worker tells BBC

What the report says

Nepalese hydropower workers have described to BBC World News the chaotic moments when floodwater from the Trishuli River burst into a tunnel worksite in central Nepal during last week’s deadly flooding. One worker, Pemba Dundu Tamang, said a sudden blast of wind preceded the rush of water and that he ran for about 20 minutes to escape as the deluge followed him uphill. Another worker, Itha Ghale, also described the force of the wind and the speed of the flood.

The BBC reports that rescue and recovery efforts are continuing at hydropower sites where workers may still be trapped. Army officials said search-and-rescue work remained under way, with soldiers also helping collect bodies and limit disease risks. Engineers have been pumping air into tunnels as part of the operation. According to the article, Nepal’s overall death toll from the floods has now passed 1,000, while around 4,000 people are reported missing.

Tamang and Ghale were working on the Upper Trishuli 3B Hydropower Project, a major scheme intended to add electricity to Nepal’s national grid. The report says more than 99% of the country’s electricity comes from hydropower, helping explain why damage to such sites is significant both for workers and for the energy system.

The BBC also cites experts who say satellite images and other indicators suggested growing instability near the glacier before the disaster, and that stronger early warning systems may have reduced losses farther downstream. The article does not say the final number of trapped workers is known, but says rescue teams from several countries are still trying to reach them.