Chinese rescue team searches for missing in tunnel in Nepal after landslide
A Chinese rescue team is searching for missing people in a tunnel near the Trishuli River in Nepal following a landslide last week that caused flooding and debris flows in the area. Nine Chinese tunnel specialists arrived in Nepal over the weekend at the request of the Nepali government and split into two groups to search for the missing in Tunnel No. 3.
When a mountain collapses and water and mud fill underground corridors, every minute becomes critical. Chinese rescuers, who arrived in Nepal at the government's request, entered the tunnel where people might be trapped beneath layers of silt and water. They are not just doing a job — they are bringing hope to those waiting for news of their loved ones. In conditions where machinery is useless and light does not reach the depths, they move by touch, crawling through water and mud, leaving no chance for rescue unexplored. This is not just an operation but an act of international solidarity, where borders fade in the face of shared tragedy.
The team advanced deeper into the damaged tunnel, struggling against surging water and thick mud in search of signs of life. At some points, rescuers could no longer walk and were forced to crawl in the dark. "The roads to the disaster zone are blocked, preventing large rescue equipment from reaching the core area. Inside the tunnel, there is a lot of water, and the mud is up to 1.5 metres deep, making it very difficult for rescuers to move," said Zhao Bo, Deputy Commander of the Chongqing Tunnel Rescue Team of China Communications Construction Company. They repeatedly shouted, whistled and knocked on pipes, trying to detect even the faintest signs of life. "We have completed a comprehensive search covering 2.5 kilometres of Tunnel No. 3, but found no signs of life," Zhao said. After two hours of intensive search, the team safely left the site.
Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported that as of 18:00 local time on Monday, 939 bodies had been recovered from the landslide‑affected areas, with another 3,925 people still missing.
The landslide in the Trishuli River area occurred last week, triggering powerful debris flows and floods that blocked roads and destroyed infrastructure. Tunnel No. 3, where the rescuers worked, is part of a hydropower project being built with Chinese involvement. After the disaster, the Nepali government requested assistance from China, and a team of experienced tunnel rescuers was deployed to the affected area. Despite extreme conditions, the rescuers acted as quickly as possible, but the search has so far yielded no results. The situation is complicated by ongoing landslides and unstable weather, and the death toll continues to rise every hour.
As CCTV+ reports, the Chinese rescue team has completed its survey of the tunnel but, unfortunately, found no survivors. Rescue operations in the region are continuing, and the international community has expressed readiness to provide additional assistance. This tragedy once again highlights the importance of international coordination in disaster response and how much every hour matters for those still waiting to be saved.
