A major rescue operation is underway in northern Nepal after over 100 people were trapped inside an under-construction hydropower tunnel in the district of Rasuwa, according to official statements. The Nepalese Army has been deployed to lead urgent efforts to pull surviving victims out of the collapsed and blocked passage, with local emergency services also on site to support the mission.
The incident has triggered urgent concern across the country, as rescuers work against challenging conditions including unstable terrain, limited access to the blocked section of the tunnel, and potential risks of further structural damage. Initial reports confirm that army teams have already begun extracting a small number of survivors, though details on the current status of those still trapped and the exact cause of the incident have not yet been fully released by authorities.
Hydropower development is a core sector of Nepal’s economy, with dozens of large and small infrastructure projects underway across the mountainous nation to harness its river systems for electricity generation. The Rasuwa district, located along Nepal’s northern border, is home to several planned and active hydropower schemes, and occupational safety in such remote, geologically challenging construction sites has long been a topic of discussion among infrastructure regulators and safety advocates.