- Rescue of two workers from Trishuli 3A tunnel in Nepal described as miraculous by expert Arnold Dix
- Floods on August 26 trapped workers inside the tunnel blocked by rocks and debris
- Rescuers used excavators and pipes to clear debris and pump clean air into the tunnel
The rescue of two power plant workers from the Trishuli 3A tunnel site in Nepal is nothing short of a miracle.
Renowned tunnel rescue expert Arnold Dix, who has been guiding the rescue ops in Nepal remotely from Sydney, describes the rescue of two workers from the tunnel as "extraordinary" and something the world has not seen before.
"This is an enormous victory for the rescue team. Extraordinary that two people were brought out alive," Dix, who became well-known in India for his role in the 2023 Uttarakhand tunnel rescue, told NDTV.
Sanjay Sah and Kabir Maharjan rescued from the Trishuli 3A tunnel
The Trishuli 3A tunnel at the hydropower plant was blocked after devastating flash floods in the Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa on August 26, trapping workers inside. Since then, rescue teams led by the Nepal Army have been desperately looking for survivors, trying to clear boulders and slush that blocked the tunnel.
Friday marked the 10th day since severe flooding in the Trishuli river basin severely impacted multiple power plants. Three days ago, NDTV's Vishnu Som, Manogya Loiwal and Ashwini Mehra landed at the Trishuli 3A site to witness the massive operation firsthand. Rescuers were desperately trying to move boulders and slush to find signs of any survivors.
Read | The Men Who Survived Blocked Nepal Tunnel For Nine Days
Rescuers have spent days clearing tons of debris using excavators, while simultaneously pushing in pipes to pump clean air inside and prevent the air from turning toxic.
Dix told NDTV that this rescue operation is first-of-its-kind in the world.
"This rescue rewrites the textbooks as never before have we had a situation where multiple power stations have been destroyed and rescue ops have been mounted across several tunnels. This is something the world has never done before," Dix said.
Arnold Dix explained that as floodwaters surged, workers likely ran upward through the tunnel - essentially being chased by rising water, boulders, sediment, and mud. A blockage of rocks and debris ultimately sealed the tunnel. While this trapped the workers inside in horrific conditions, it critically prevented them from drowning.
Video | Inside Miracle Rescue Of Workers From Nepal Tunnel After 9 Days
"Underground power stations are attached to tunnels up in the mountain which are used to maintain the station and also transmit air in and out of it. Workers ran up the hill into these tunnels to survive. You need to be in front of an avalanche of mud and rock the size of cars," Dix explained.
"We had to blow up the rocks the size of cars, which we have never done in a tunnel rescue," Dix said, talking about scale and challenges of the mission.
Dix added that with two survivors, the rescuers have been proven right about the presence of "Goldilocks zones" inside the tunnels and power station where there was a chance of finding survivors.
"We identified the Goldilocks zones where survivors could be lodged. And we have been proven right. And this gives us hope of finding more people," he said.
He added: "We now have proof that there are pockets down there where people could survive, and now we can look for more. We have never done a rescue like this before. And finding survivors gives us hope. It shows we were right to assume that people could be alive inside those tunnels. And it makes all the efforts worthwhile."
The two rescued men survived 10 gruelling days without light, relying on whatever water and food supplies they could find inside.
On the chances of survival and conditions inside the tunnel, Dix says foremost is the will to survive.
"The chances of survival are remote. A large part is the will to survive. We didn't know if they had food. It was pitch dark inside the tunnel with no power," he said.
There is now renewed hope for at least 35 additional workers believed to be trapped inside this specific tunnel.
Across multiple impacted power plants in the river valley, around 150 workers remain missing as rescue operations continue at several sites.
