Blab News
Hundreds of Hydropower Workers Trapped as Nepal Floods Intensify, Government Faces Criticism for Delayed Foreign Aid
On August 26, a sudden ice‑and‑rock avalanche unleashed a torrent of floods and mudslides that buried villages along the Nepal–Tibet border and sealed nine hydropower tunnels in the Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts. The Nepali disaster‑management department reported on Monday that 903 people had died and 4,247 were missing—an abrupt jump from earlier figures. Among those unaccounted for are at least 85 Americans, according to the U.S. State Department.
The same landslides buried 933 workers—mostly Nepali, but also from South Korea and China—inside hydropower tunnels still under construction. Video footage from the Nepali army shows rescue teams drilling and hauling excavators through mud and water to clear the blocked passages. These tunnels belong to a private‑sector network of projects designed to boost Nepal’s hydropower capacity.
Bhim Gautam, chief executive officer of the Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPPAN), told NPR that the country lacks the technology, equipment and expertise needed for a large‑scale rescue operation in hydropower sites. He explained that the industry had only dealt with small flooding incidents and had never faced a situation of this magnitude. Gautam added that the avalanche had not only blocked tunnel entrances but also made the tunnels difficult to locate, with some rescue workers spending three days searching for them.
According to Gautam, the industry’s leaders had to pressure the government to allow foreign rescue teams. He said that late last week the government approved teams from China, India and Australia, but the delay had already cost lives. IPPAN’s criticism reflects a broader frustration among private developers who rely on timely government support to protect workers and keep projects on schedule.
The Nepali finance minister, Swarnim Wagle, denied reports that the country had rejected foreign assistance. He insisted that Nepal had accepted help only “according to the needs on the ground.” The Prime Minister, Balen Shah, posted a statement on Facebook on Sunday that the Nepali army and police, together with experts from India, China and South Korea, were now conducting rescue operations at various hydropower tunnels.
Political analyst Chandradev Bhatta suggests that the government’s initial hesitation may have been driven by geopolitical concerns. He notes that after the 2015 earthquake, Nepal experienced intense competition from China, India and Western powers for influence during reconstruction. Bhatta argues that the decision to delay foreign aid was a legacy of that period, and that the government’s reluctance has now been criticized on social media.
In Beijing, the Foreign Ministry denied that officials had ignored early warning signs or downplayed the disaster’s impact. It said that information about the floods and mudslides near the border had been released transparently and in a timely manner. The last update from Chinese state media, Xinhua, on Saturday reported 16 confirmed deaths and 546 missing—figures that have not been revised in more than 48 hours.
The floods have also highlighted the vulnerability of Nepal’s hydropower infrastructure to climate‑related hazards. The country’s renewable energy sector is rapidly expanding, with the private sector investing about NPR 600 billion in projects that could generate 21,000 MW. However, the current crisis underscores the need for robust disaster preparedness and international cooperation.
Rescue efforts continue under difficult conditions. Nepali soldiers and foreign specialists are using controlled blasts and excavators to clear debris, while some workers have been rescued alive after being trapped for several days. The situation remains fluid, with authorities still searching for survivors and assessing damage to the hydropower network.
The government has not yet issued a comprehensive plan for the aftermath of the disaster, and it remains unclear how the crisis will affect the timeline and financing of the hydropower projects. International partners, including China, India, Australia and South Korea, are expected to provide technical assistance and equipment, but the coordination of these efforts is still in progress.
As the rescue operation continues, the focus remains on locating and extracting trapped workers, preventing further flooding, and restoring essential services to the affected districts. The international community, the Nepali government and the private sector will need to collaborate closely to manage the immediate humanitarian needs and to strengthen the resilience of Nepal’s hydropower infrastructure against future climate events.
The same landslides buried 933 workers—mostly Nepali, but also from South Korea and China—inside hydropower tunnels still under construction. Video footage from the Nepali army shows rescue teams drilling and hauling excavators through mud and water to clear the blocked passages. These tunnels belong to a private‑sector network of projects designed to boost Nepal’s hydropower capacity.
Bhim Gautam, chief executive officer of the Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPPAN), told NPR that the country lacks the technology, equipment and expertise needed for a large‑scale rescue operation in hydropower sites. He explained that the industry had only dealt with small flooding incidents and had never faced a situation of this magnitude. Gautam added that the avalanche had not only blocked tunnel entrances but also made the tunnels difficult to locate, with some rescue workers spending three days searching for them.
According to Gautam, the industry’s leaders had to pressure the government to allow foreign rescue teams. He said that late last week the government approved teams from China, India and Australia, but the delay had already cost lives. IPPAN’s criticism reflects a broader frustration among private developers who rely on timely government support to protect workers and keep projects on schedule.
The Nepali finance minister, Swarnim Wagle, denied reports that the country had rejected foreign assistance. He insisted that Nepal had accepted help only “according to the needs on the ground.” The Prime Minister, Balen Shah, posted a statement on Facebook on Sunday that the Nepali army and police, together with experts from India, China and South Korea, were now conducting rescue operations at various hydropower tunnels.
Political analyst Chandradev Bhatta suggests that the government’s initial hesitation may have been driven by geopolitical concerns. He notes that after the 2015 earthquake, Nepal experienced intense competition from China, India and Western powers for influence during reconstruction. Bhatta argues that the decision to delay foreign aid was a legacy of that period, and that the government’s reluctance has now been criticized on social media.
In Beijing, the Foreign Ministry denied that officials had ignored early warning signs or downplayed the disaster’s impact. It said that information about the floods and mudslides near the border had been released transparently and in a timely manner. The last update from Chinese state media, Xinhua, on Saturday reported 16 confirmed deaths and 546 missing—figures that have not been revised in more than 48 hours.
The floods have also highlighted the vulnerability of Nepal’s hydropower infrastructure to climate‑related hazards. The country’s renewable energy sector is rapidly expanding, with the private sector investing about NPR 600 billion in projects that could generate 21,000 MW. However, the current crisis underscores the need for robust disaster preparedness and international cooperation.
Rescue efforts continue under difficult conditions. Nepali soldiers and foreign specialists are using controlled blasts and excavators to clear debris, while some workers have been rescued alive after being trapped for several days. The situation remains fluid, with authorities still searching for survivors and assessing damage to the hydropower network.
The government has not yet issued a comprehensive plan for the aftermath of the disaster, and it remains unclear how the crisis will affect the timeline and financing of the hydropower projects. International partners, including China, India, Australia and South Korea, are expected to provide technical assistance and equipment, but the coordination of these efforts is still in progress.
As the rescue operation continues, the focus remains on locating and extracting trapped workers, preventing further flooding, and restoring essential services to the affected districts. The international community, the Nepali government and the private sector will need to collaborate closely to manage the immediate humanitarian needs and to strengthen the resilience of Nepal’s hydropower infrastructure against future climate events.
