Death Toll in Flood-Hit Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Reach 39; 439 Still Missing

Kathmandu: Bodies of 39 employees have been recovered at under construction 216-megawatt Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project hit by the devastating flood in Bhotekoshi-Trishuli rivers in Rasuwa on August 26.

The project promoter Nepal Water and Energy Development Company confirmed the number of deceased, while informing 439 out of 1,400 people working on the day of the flood have remained missing. As per the company, the search and rescue of the missing employees, both domestic and foreign, who were working at the site, is ongoing.

The flood was also found to have overturned large trucks in the area between dam site and tunnel of the project.

Despite the extremely difficult geographical conditions and extensive damage to the infrastructure, the company has also stated conducting a rescue operation by mobilizing all available resources. According to the promoter company, 1,433 people including Nepalis, Koreans, Chinese, Indians and other nationalities were working in ​​the project at time the flood hit the area.

Immediately after the flood, a joint team of Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Police, Korean technical experts and the project workers were deployed for rescue at the site office and construction area. It is said that trained search dogs, mountain rescue teams and other skilled rescuers have been mobilized to search in identified risky areas.

The team is conducting searches in the main tunnels of the project, underground power house, cliffs, outer surfaces and surrounding villages. In addition, the company has informed everyone that the movement of a special search team with dogs and the necessary helicopter flights for emergency rescue are being carried out after obtaining permission.

Since the road network is completely blocked, the company said to have started transporting the necessary heavy equipment to the project site by helicopter at its own expense.

So far, two mini excavators, generators and gas-cutting equipment to chop iron rods have been transported to the project site by helicopter. The work of removing the accumulated silt and debris from the upstream area of the access tunnel (Audit-3) for the construction of the main tunnel is being carried out using an excavator.

Similarly, the silt/debris accumulated in the project site office and staff accommodation area (camp) in Mailung has been removed and the stagnant water has been drained. The technical team is assessing the physical condition and damage of major structures including the underground power house, main access tunnel, dam site.

The promoter company has brought the recovered bodies to the army camp in Bidur, Nuwakot by mobilizing a Nepali Army helicopter. Apart from facilitating identification of the deceased and providing initial relief funds to affected families, the company has also provided cash support to the families of the deceased to perform the last religious rites according to their culture and customs.

The company has said it is in regular contact with the families of the missing. The search area has been determined based on information provided by those who were rescued safely, while the suffered family has been provided with necessary counseling and psychosocial support.

Although the rescue operation is ongoing, the company has informed that the road network leading to the project site has been completely destroyed by the flood. Extreme shortage of essentials including housing, drinking water and basic facilities, thick mud accumulated in the underground tunnels, potential risk of further landslides, difficult geographical conditions and adverse weather conditions are making the rescue work more complicated.

According to the company, despite all these challenges, the search operation will continue by mobilizing all available resources, equipment, technology and manpower.

Contractor companies involved in the project

• Consultant: Tractebel and Z Consult

• Main contractor Korean company: Doosan

• Civil subcontractor: Power China

• Electromechanical contractor: Andritz Hydro

Manpower and damage details table