Two workers rescued alive from tunnel nine days after flood; 93 Rasuwagadhi workers now missing
A "miracle" rescue of two trapped workers has renewed hope even as revised figures show 93 people missing from Rasuwagadhi and the overall death toll climbs past 1,290.
Quick summary
Two workers were rescued alive from a hydropower tunnel nine days after Nepal's Aug. 26 glacier-collapse flood, according to multiple outlets. The disaster has killed more than 1,290 people and left over 5,000 missing across Nepal and China, with Nepal's disaster agency reporting 1,294 deaths and 5,053 missing as of Sept. 5. Rescue efforts at the Rasuwagadhi hydropower plant have shifted from an underground chamber to a broader search after no one was found inside the powerhouse; the company now reports 93 workers missing and says between four and 14 may have been trapped inside the powerhouse. The Nepal Electricity Authority confirmed damage to six major hydropower and transmission facilities, knocking out an estimated 431 megawatts of capacity.
Key points
- Two hydropower workers were rescued alive from a tunnel nine days after the flood, described as a "miracle" by The Guardian and Malay Mail.
- The death toll has risen to more than 1,290, with Nepal's disaster agency reporting 1,294 bodies recovered and 5,053 people missing as of Sept. 5.
- Rasuwagadhi Hydropower reports 93 people unaccounted for; searches of the powerhouse found no one inside, revising earlier focus on 46 workers believed trapped in an underground chamber.
- The Nepal Electricity Authority confirmed six major hydropower and transmission facilities were damaged, eliminating an estimated 431 MW of capacity.
- Debris from the glacier collapse travelled approximately 20 kilometers, dropping 1,700 meters at Rasuwagadhi in only seven minutes.
How it unfolded
- New
Flood begins
A glacier collapse and ice-rock avalanche trigger a major surge through the Bhotekoshi river system.
- New
Infrastructure hit
Roads, hydropower plants and transmission facilities suffer major damage.
- ChangedContested
Reported casualty numbers rise sharply
Figures moved from 8 to more than 350 within 24 hours as information reached authorities from areas cut off by communication outages.
- Changed
Cause clarified
Reporting identifies a glacial flood mechanism, and early seismic signals are attributed to the landslide rather than a tectonic earthquake.
- New
More than 1,300 people reported missing
The scale of the missing-person count prompts international rescue efforts.
- New
Warning of a second flood
Authorities warn that a landslide-created lake combined with further rainfall could produce a secondary disaster.
- New
Rescue race
Reports that 933 hydropower workers are missing shift international attention toward the flooded tunnels.
- New
Search continues
Rescuers drill into hydropower tunnels as hopes of finding survivors become a central focus of coverage.
- ChangedContested
Reported missing count rises to 4,793
Up from roughly 1,300 five days earlier.
- New
Close to 300 workers rescued from tunnels
Rescue teams from China, India and Nepal use excavators and temporary bridges to reach trapped workers.
- New
Electricity restored
Power has been restored nearly a week after the floods.
- New
Death toll crosses 1,000
The Associated Press reports more than 1,000 deaths across Nepal and China.
- New
Official says trapped workers may be alive
A Nepal Electricity Authority official states there is a high chance workers trapped in Rasuwagadhi hydropower plant chambers have survived.
- New
U.S. rescue teams join effort
Specialized rescue teams from the United States are now involved alongside Chinese, Indian and Nepali crews.
- New
Economic toll quantified
Mongabay reports 281 MW of installed capacity wiped out or badly damaged, 388 MW under construction damaged, with losses estimated in the hundreds of billions of Nepali rupees.
- New
Death toll surpasses 1,200
Multiple outlets report the death toll has exceeded 1,200, making this Nepal's deadliest natural disaster since the 2015 earthquake.
- Changed
Authorities 'very confident' 46 workers may be alive
Nepal Electricity Authority officials say they are 'very confident' about 46 workers trapped in an underground room at Rasuwagadhi have access to food and water, refining earlier statements about trapped workers' chances of survival.
- New
Rescuers advance 250 meters into Rasuwagadhi tunnel
Teams have progressed 250 meters into a tunnel at Rasuwagadhi before encountering a blockage, continuing efforts to reach the underground chamber.
- New
At least eight workers may be trapped at Chilime project
Nepal's Independent Power Producers' Association reports at least eight people may be trapped at the Chilime hydropower project.
- New
Two workers rescued alive from tunnel
Described as a "miracle" rescue nine days after the flood began.
- New
Death toll rises to 1,294 in Nepal
Nepal's disaster agency reports 1,294 bodies recovered and 5,053 people missing as of Sept. 5.
- New
Overall death toll crosses 1,290
Multiple outlets report more than 1,290 or 1,300 dead across Nepal and China combined.
- Changed
Rasuwagadhi reports 93 workers missing
Company secretary says 93 people are unaccounted for; searches of the powerhouse found no one inside, and the company now estimates between four and 14 may have been trapped inside the powerhouse.
- New
Nepal Electricity Authority confirms 431 MW knocked out
Six major hydropower and transmission facilities were damaged, including Rasuwagadhi, Chilime and Trishuli 3A.
- New
Search for Rasuwagadhi workers expands beyond powerhouse
Searches extended to nearby forests and difficult mountain terrain after no one was found inside the powerhouse.
Claim tracker
17 confirmed · 4 contested · 10 unverified
- Confirmed
A glacial collapse triggered the flood.
- Confirmed
Hundreds have died and thousands remain missing.
- Confirmed
Major hydropower and transmission infrastructure was damaged.
- Confirmed
Close to 300 workers have been rescued from hydropower tunnels.
- Confirmed
Electricity has been restored nearly a week after the floods.
- Confirmed
U.S. rescue teams are involved in the search effort.
- Confirmed
The death toll has exceeded 1,200.
- Confirmed
This is Nepal's deadliest natural disaster since the 2015 earthquake.
- Confirmed
Two workers were rescued alive from a hydropower tunnel nine days after the flood.
- Confirmed
Nepal's disaster agency reported 1,294 bodies recovered and 5,053 people missing as of Sept. 5.
- Confirmed
The overall death toll across Nepal and China has exceeded 1,290.
- Confirmed
93 workers from the Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project are missing.
- Confirmed
Between four and 14 people may have been trapped inside the Rasuwagadhi powerhouse.
- Confirmed
Searches of the Rasuwagadhi powerhouse found no one inside.
- Confirmed
Six major hydropower and transmission facilities were damaged, knocking out an estimated 431 megawatts of capacity.
- Confirmed
Debris from the glacier collapse travelled approximately 20 kilometers and dropped 1,700 meters at Rasuwagadhi in seven minutes.
- Confirmed
Seven workers at the Rasuwagadhi project site have been rescued.
- Contested
Missing-person totals vary significantly between outlets.
- Contested
The number of missing American citizens is as reported.
- Contested
There is a high chance that workers trapped in Rasuwagadhi hydropower plant chambers may still be alive.
OnlineKhabar and The Kathmandu Post now report searches of the powerhouse found no one inside, contradicting earlier confidence about 46 workers in an underground chamber.
- Contested
About 46 workers are trapped in an underground room at Rasuwagadhi hydropower plant.
OnlineKhabar and The Kathmandu Post report searches found no one inside the powerhouse; the company now says 93 are missing and estimates four to 14 may have been trapped inside.
- Unverified
Thermal drones detected no signs of life inside the hydropower tunnels.
- Unverified
Casualties and conditions on the Tibet side of the border are as reported.
- Unverified
639 people remain trapped in several hydropower stations.
New reports focus on specific missing counts at individual projects rather than a combined trapped-worker figure.
- Unverified
About 500 workers are believed to be trapped inside hydropower tunnels.
- Unverified
281 MW of installed hydropower capacity was wiped out or badly damaged.
- Unverified
388 MW of hydropower capacity under construction was damaged.
- Unverified
Rescuers have advanced 250 meters into a tunnel at Rasuwagadhi before encountering a blockage.
No new coverage mentions this detail.
- Unverified
At least eight people may be trapped at the Chilime hydropower project.
Nepal News lists Chilime among damaged facilities but does not repeat the trapped-worker figure.
- Unverified
More than 630 workers at hydroelectric plants in Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts remain trapped as of September 3.
New coverage provides specific project-by-project missing counts but does not confirm this aggregate.
- Unverified
592 foreign nationals and 164 Nepalis accompanying foreign tour groups are among the missing.
What we still don't know
- The identity and condition of the two workers rescued alive from the tunnel on Sept. 4.
- The fate of the 93 missing Rasuwagadhi workers, now that searches have expanded beyond the powerhouse to forests and mountain terrain.
- Whether any workers remain trapped inside other hydropower tunnels.
- The precise breakdown of deaths and missing persons between Nepal and China.
- The final death toll and total number of missing.
- Whether the Rasuwagadhi underground chamber believed to hold 46 workers with food and water ever existed or was a misunderstanding.
- Whether hydropower projects will be reassessed in light of environmental risks and economic losses.
- How much the failure of early-warning systems contributed to the disaster.
Nepal floods, August 2026
- Death toll reaches 469 as second flood warning continues
- Nepal flood death toll passes 900 as search focuses on hydropower tunnels
- Death toll surpasses 1,000 as rescue efforts continue for trapped hydropower workers
- Nearly 300 workers rescued from flooded hydropower tunnels, 639 still trapped
- Death toll exceeds 1,000 as officials say trapped workers may still be alive
- Death toll rises past 1,200 as rescuers focus on underground chamber where 46 workers may survive
- Death toll reaches 1,357 in Nepal as army estimates 121 workers remain trapped in hydropower tunnels
- Death toll reaches 1,367 in Nepal as rescue teams focus on Trishuli 3A, 3B and Chilime tunnels
- Missing count revised upward to 5,651 as fresh air detected in hydropower tunnels
- Death toll rises to at least 1,385 as rescue focus narrows to three hydropower tunnels
- Nepal death toll rises to 1,385 as U.S. commits additional $1 million for victim identification
- Death toll reaches 1,428 as Nepal estimates $7 billion reconstruction cost
- Nepal revises reconstruction cost to $4.78 billion; India to supply 654 MW to replace flood-damaged hydropower
- Death toll rises to 1,399; India begins 654 MW daily power supply as rescue teams near final stage at Chilime tunnel
- Search operations halted at 10 of 13 damaged hydropower projects as 868 workers remain missing
- Death toll rises to 1,410 in Nepal as missing count jumps to 6,150
- Rescuers recover 11 bodies from Upper Trishuli-1 tunnel; total dead reaches 1,414
- Death toll rises to 1,436 as hydropower tunnels yield 24 bodies in single week
Sources analysed
7 outlets in the analysed roster.
- The Guardian — Two workers pulled alive from tunnel nine days after Nepal ...
- Malay Mail — ‘Miracle’ rescue renews hope as Nepal flood death toll crosses 1,200
- Nepal News — Bhote Koshi disaster enters its 11th day - Nepal News
- Barron's — Nepal's 'Himalayan Tsunami': What We Know
- The Kathmandu Post — Where rescue efforts stand at flood-hit hydropower projects
- OnlineKhabar — Search for 93 missing Rasuwagadhi hydropower workers ...
- The Himalayan Times — The rising threat from the roof of the world: Nepal's Himalayan glacier disaster demands urgent action