Nepal Floods: 5 Bodies Recovered From Chilime Tunnel, No Survivors Found

A days-long rescue operation at Nepal’s flood-hit Chilime hydropower project ended in tragedy on Wednesday, with the mortal remains of five people recovered from a tunnel leading to the underground powerhouse.

Indian and Nepali rescue teams reached the powerhouse after clearing layers of slush, mud and debris that had blocked access to the tunnel. However, no survivors were found, India’s Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava said.

“After several days of challenging hard work in clearing the slush and mud from the tunnel, the Indian and Nepali teams were able to reach the power house this morning. Unfortunately they were not able to find any survivors. Mortal remains of 5 persons were extricated,” Srivastava said in a post on X.

The operation followed devastating flash floods triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26. The disaster caused widespread destruction across northern and central Nepal, with floodwaters sweeping through settlements and damaging roads, bridges, vehicles and hydropower infrastructure.

The Bhotekoshi River, which flows south from the Himalayan border region, carried the floodwaters downstream, worsening the destruction and leaving several areas difficult to access.

Rescuers faced extremely difficult conditions while trying to reach the workers believed to be trapped underground. The operation involved building a road across debris and through the river, removing thick layers of slush, dealing with huge boulders and pumping or navigating through seepage water.

Indian Army and Nepali Army personnel worked together with helicopter support as they gradually opened a route towards the underground powerhouse. The final stage of the operation involved deep diving to search areas that remained inaccessible.

Six workers had earlier been believed to be trapped inside the Chilime tunnel following the floods. Rescue teams had spent several days trying to reach them through the damaged project infrastructure.

The recovery of five bodies brings a grim end to the search, while authorities are expected to continue efforts to establish the identities of the deceased and assess the full impact of the disaster on the hydropower project.