Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
A survivor of the devastating Nepal flash floods has alleged that a Chinese supervisor fled a mud-filled tunnel at the Trishuli-3A Hydropower Station after workers sought his help to escape, leaving hundreds of them trapped inside. Engineering work at Trishuli-3A is being carried out by China’s Power China Corporation under the supervision of its personnel.
At least 40 people remain unaccounted for at Trishuli-3A, while over 900 workers are missing from hydropower projects affected by the floods. Rescue teams are racing against time to reach workers trapped inside tunnels blocked by mud and debris.
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Raj Chhetri, who survived the disaster, said he and other workers were inside Tunnel No. 3 when flash floods occurred. He alleged that he sought permission from a Chinese supervisor to leave after hearing a loud noise and sensing danger, but the supervisor told him he would “go and see” before leaving the tunnel himself.
“I asked the Chinese supervisor to let us out. He said, ‘I’ll go and see,’ and then he fled,” he alleged.
Rescue operations have been complicated by damaged infrastructure, poor weather and the difficulty of accessing underground facilities. At Trishuli-3A, teams are using heavy equipment and specialised techniques to reach tunnels buried under mud and debris.
Chhetri said a powerful surge of water, mud and debris entered the tunnel and swept away workers, vehicles and their belongings. He also said he ran towards the mouth of the tunnel and managed to escape. “Four of us fled. Two are still missing,” he said.
He claimed around 265 people were working in Tunnel No. 3 when the floods struck. He said bodies were lying inside the tunnel and that survivors could be heard crying for help.
“The bodies of many hydropower workers are lying in the tunnel above. Many are still alive. We could hear cries of ‘Save, save’,” Chhetri said. He described the ordeal as a desperate choice between trying to save others and saving his own life.
‘WE SLEPT UNDER A TREE’
After escaping the floods, Chhetri said he and other survivors spent the first few days in the forest, sleeping under a tree. They had no mobile phones and, he alleged, the mobile network was down in the area.
He said the lack of communication meant workers could not tell their families that they had survived. Chhetri said he was able to contact his family only after mobile connectivity was restored.
Chhetri also levelled allegations against China over the flood risk. “What the Chinese government did was wrong. They knew about the flood and landslide,” he alleged.
“If we had received information beforehand, many lives and property could have been saved,” he said, suggesting that an advance warning could have allowed workers to evacuate.
Families of workers trapped in flooded hydropower tunnels have been questioning the pace of rescue operations, with relatives saying days have passed with little visible progress.
Recently, the wife of an engineer trapped at Trishuli-3A said six days had passed with little sign of a meaningful rescue effort. She said families had been moving between government offices and the Army Headquarters seeking information.
The flash floods struck on August 26 after a glacier collapse triggered massive torrents of water, mud and debris along the Nepal-Tibet border. The disaster caused heavy damage to settlements, roads, bridges and other key infrastructure.
As of now, 1,126 people have died in Nepal, with over 4,000 still missing, according to police. In neighbouring Tibet, Chinese authorities have reported 16 deaths and 546 people missing.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
