Rasuwagadhi hydropower tunnel search finds no survivors; 93 still missing
Synopsis
Nepal's Nepali Army-led team scoured every section of the Rasuwagadhi hydropower tunnel — including deploying drones — and found no one. With 93 workers from that single project still untraced and 897 across 11 sites unaccounted for, the Bhote Koshi flood disaster is shaping up as one of Nepal's gravest hydropower-sector emergencies, drawing in tunnel rescue specialists from both India and China.
Key Takeaways
A Nepali Army -led team found no survivors or remains inside the Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project tunnel in Rasuwa on 31 August .
93 workers at the 111-MW project remain untraced following flooding in the Bhote Koshi River .
Across 11 hydropower projects in Rasuwa and Nuwakot , a total of 897 people are out of contact, according to IPPAN .
Seven Indian and 15 Chinese nationals trapped in hydropower tunnels were rescued on Sunday , per NDRRMA .
Indian tunnel rescue specialists are operating at sites in Chilime and Langtang in coordination with the Nepali Army .
A Nepali Army-led rescue team found no trace of any person inside the tunnel of the flood-hit Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project (RHPL) in Rasuwa on Monday, 31 August, as the fate of 93 workers employed at the 111-MW project remains unknown. The search was triggered by fears that workers may have been trapped at the far end of the tunnel following severe flooding along the Bhote Koshi River.
How the Search Was Conducted
The rescue team, comprising Nepali Army personnel, engineers, and a drone unit, penetrated the tunnel to its innermost section, including its endpoint. Drones were deployed to scan areas beyond physical reach. 'No signs of human presence were found during the operation,' the Prime Minister's Secretariat confirmed in a statement. After concluding that no one remained inside, the team withdrew to Dhunche in Rasuwa.
Scale of the Disaster Across Rasuwa and Nuwakot
The Rasuwagadhi operation is one part of a far larger crisis. According to the Independent Power Producers' Association, Nepal (IPPAN), a total of 897 people employed across 11 hydropower projects in the flood-affected districts of Rasuwa and Nuwakot — located along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river corridors — remain out of contact. Nepal's authorities have been running parallel search and rescue missions across all 11 sites.
International Rescue Teams Join Efforts
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) confirmed that seven Indian and 15 Chinese nationals who were trapped inside hydropower project tunnels were rescued on Sunday. At the request of the Nepali government, tunnel technicians from both India and China have been deployed on the ground. The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu stated on Monday that its tunnel rescue team worked alongside the Nepali Army at hydropower tunnel sites in the Chilime and Langtang areas, and would continue operations in close coordination with Nepali forces.
What Comes Next
With the Rasuwagadhi tunnel now cleared, rescue focus shifts to the remaining sites across Rasuwa and Nuwakot where hundreds are still unaccounted for. The scale of the flooding — which struck the Bhote Koshi River corridor last week — has made access to several sites difficult, and authorities have not provided a revised timeline for completing all search operations. The involvement of Indian and Chinese tunnel specialists signals that Nepal has acknowledged the technical complexity of the recovery effort.
Point of View
Often in terrain where flood response is near-impossible at speed. The deployment of Indian and Chinese tunnel technicians is a tacit admission that Nepal's own rescue infrastructure was not built for this scale of subterranean emergency. As the monsoon season continues, the question of whether these projects were adequately equipped with evacuation protocols for flood scenarios will demand an answer — from project developers, from IPPAN, and from Nepal's regulatory framework.
NationPress
31 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the rescue team find inside the Rasuwagadhi hydropower tunnel?
The Nepali Army-led rescue team found no signs of human presence inside the Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project tunnel in Rasuwa on 31 August. The team, which included engineers and a drone unit, searched the tunnel to its innermost endpoint before concluding the operation.
How many workers are missing from the Rasuwagadhi project?
93 workers employed at the 111-MW Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project remain untraced. Their fate is unclear following flooding in the Bhote Koshi River that struck the area last week.
What is the total number of people missing across all flood-hit hydropower projects in Nepal?
According to the Independent Power Producers' Association, Nepal (IPPAN), a total of 897 people employed across 11 hydropower projects in Rasuwa and Nuwakot remain out of contact. Search and rescue operations are ongoing at multiple sites along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river corridors.
Are foreign rescue teams involved in Nepal's hydropower flood response?
Yes. At Nepal's request, tunnel rescue specialists from both India and China have been deployed. Seven Indian and 15 Chinese nationals were also among those rescued on Sunday. India's tunnel rescue team is currently operating at sites in Chilime and Langtang alongside the Nepali Army.
What caused the crisis at these hydropower projects?
Devastating floods in the Bhote Koshi River last week inundated multiple hydropower project sites in the districts of Rasuwa and Nuwakot, trapping workers inside tunnels and cutting off access to project areas. Nepal's NDRRMA and the Nepali Army have been coordinating rescue efforts since the flooding began.
