On September 4, the Nepal Armed Forces announced that two people had been pulled from a collapsed tunnel that had been buried under mud and debris after the massive floods that hit the Nepal‑Tibet border more than a week ago.
The floods, which are estimated to have killed over 1,300 people, swept across villages, severed roads and left emergency teams wresting with the relentless tide of mud and loose rock. Every new rescue feels like a precious lifeline for thousands of families still waiting to learn what happened to their missing relatives.
BBC South‑Asia correspondent Azadeh Moshiri characterises the operation as “a rare moment of joy” and highlights the revived hope it brings to those who have remained in uncertainty.
The trek to the tunnel required a layered rescue strategy; many survivors were recovered following days of coordinated efforts from the army, the Nepalese Red Cross and local volunteers. A full account of the multi‑stage operation can be found in BBC articles linked below.
For more comprehensive coverage, readers are encouraged to explore BBC’s coverage of the continuing search for survivors and the broader flood response across the Himalayan region.
Read more about reaching those trapped in the tunnel | Story on the layered rescue operation.
