Rescue teams are working to free six workers trapped in a tunnel at Nepal’s Chilime hydropower project after flash floods on August 26. Using heavy machinery, they have cleared about 70 meters of debris and plan to continue their efforts through the night to reach the underground powerhouse, which is approximately 60 meters further down the tunnel. The operation involves Indian and Nepali teams working together, with additional support from the Nepal Army constructing access roads. Despite progress, there has been no confirmation that contact has been established with the trapped workers.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-13,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On August 26, 2026, flash floods triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border devastated northern and central Nepal, killing nearly 1,400 people and leaving over 5,000 missing. The Bhotekoshi River carried floodwaters downstream, sweeping away homes, vehicles, roads, bridges, and damaging hydropower projects. Around 100 workers are believed to be trapped in nearly a dozen tunnels linked to these projects.
In Nepal’s Chilime hydropower project, six workers remain trapped inside a tunnel as of September 13, 2026, with rescue teams using heavy machinery to clear debris and advance towards the underground powerhouse. Indian and Nepali teams have made significant progress, clearing about 70 metres of mud and debris since they began their efforts on September 12, 2026. The project manager reported that the powerhouse is approximately 60 metres further down the tunnel, with rescue operations continuing through the night to reach it.
The Nepal Army and Indian rescue personnel are working jointly inside the Chilime tunnel, supported by heavy equipment brought in via prepared access roads. This coordinated effort aims to save the trapped workers before conditions worsen or additional debris blocks their path.
Written for “Nepal Flash Floods Rescues” on 2026-09-14,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
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No political leaning scored for article 8644 · logged 2026-09-13
Rescue operations are continuing at Nepal’s Chilime hydropower project, where six workers are believed to be trapped inside a tunnel, with Indian and Nepali teams using heavy machinery to clear mud and debris and advance towards an underground powerhouse.
asserted
teams → continue → powerhouse
Also Read: Nepal flash floods wash away illusions of clean, easy hydropower
The operation gathered pace after an excavator, loader, and Bobcat were brought into the tunnel, India’s Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava said in an update on Saturday (September 12, 2026).
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Ambassador → read → Saturday
The technical team cleared about 70 metres further, he said.
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he → clear → metres
According to the project manager, the powerhouse is about 60 metres further down the tunnel.
uncertain
powerhouse → accord → tunnel
The rescue teams were to continue working through the night to reach it, Mr. Srivastava said.
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Srivastava → continue → it
The Border Roads Organisation has also prepared the approach road to the rescue site, according to authorities.
uncertain
Organisation → prepare → authorities
Separately, Nepal’s Army said it had constructed more than a kilometre of access road from Syafrubesi towards the Chilime tunnel, enabling rescue equipment to be taken closer to the site.
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equipment → say → site
The Nepal Army and Indian rescue personnel are jointly working inside the Chilime tunnel, according to a report published in the Khabarhub news portal.
uncertain
Army → work → portal
The Army has also prioritised rescue operations at the Upper Trishuli-3B hydropower project, where more than 100 Army personnel have been deployed, the report said.
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report → prioritise → project
The Himalayan Times reported on Sunday (September 13, 2026) that Nepali Army personnel were also continuing search-and-rescue operations at the Upper Trishuli-3B project site.
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personnel → report → site
At Chilime, however, there has been no public confirmation that rescuers have established contact with the six workers.
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rescuers → establish → workers
Reports indicate that rescuers found a pocket of air near the area where the workers are believed to be trapped, but that does not establish that they are alive or that contact has been made.
Flash floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, devastated towns and villages in northern and central Nepal, killing nearly 1,400 people, while more than 5,000 remain missing.
The Bhotekoshi River, which flows south from the Himalayan border region, carried the floodwaters downstream, sweeping away homes, vehicles, roads and bridges and damaging hydropower projects.
Around 100 people are believed to be trapped in nearly a dozen tunnels linked to hydropower projects in flood-affected areas.
Published - September 13, 2026 01:05 pm IST
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people → indicate → areas
