- Jehre power substation at Galchi in Nepal was completely submerged by August 26 floods
- Floodwaters destroyed bridges, homes, and crucial hydropower infrastructure in the region
- Nepal Army is working to recover transformers and machinery buried in silt and slush
Jehre power substation at Galchi in Nepal stands as a stark reminder of the devastation caused by last week's flash floods.
When NDTV's Vishnu Som reached Galchi, 84 kilometres south of the Rasuwagadhi border with China, the trail of destruction was unmistakable.
The sheer volume and force of the deluge left destruction in its wake, even miles away from the epicentre. Raging floodwaters swept through the region, washing away concrete bridges, destroying homes and knocking out a major power substation.
Nepal Army personnel work at power station in Galchi
The substation here was completely submerged in the August 26 deluge. Inside, equipment lay ruined, while workers outside tried to salvage whatever they could from the transformers and other machinery.
Destroyed transformers and mangled wires were strewn along the banks of the Trishuli River, which flows beside the substation.
Nepal Army personnel have been working relentlessly to dig transformers and other equipment out from beneath the thick layers of silt and slush.
Ramesh, an electrician at the power station, told NDTV that he was at the site when the flood struck.
Ramesh works as an electrician at the power station
"We got information that floodwater was flowing towards us from the higher areas. We ran up the mountain to save our lives," Ramesh said, recounting the horror.
He said the water level rose several feet above normal and completely submerged the power station.
"The entire station was under water and slush," he said, pointing to dark water marks on the walls that reached almost to the roof.
The destruction at Galchi is just one part of a much larger crisis unfolding across Nepal's hydropower belt.
Transformers buried in slush at Galchi power station
Rescue teams are trying to trace around 900 workers and employees at various hydropower project sites in flood-hit areas who have been out of contact since August 26. Many are believed to be trapped inside tunnels.
Expert teams from India and China are assisting Nepalese rescuers in the operations.
Several hydropower plants have been severely damaged by the flash floods, dealing a major blow to a country that has increasingly relied on its hydropower sector and is known for exporting surplus electricity.
At Galchi, the scale of the destruction is visible everywhere - from the twisted transformers on the riverbank to the water marks high on the walls of the submerged substation.
