EXCLUSIVE: Trapped nine days in a dark tunnel, Nepali man tells his survival story

Live updates

1. 2d ago

   Nepal Flood Survivor Recounts Nine Days Trapped in Tunnel

   A Nepali hydropower worker named Sanjay Sah survived nine days trapped inside a dark, inundated tunnel following a devastating flood disaster that struck the region. Sah returned home after being discharged from the hospital on the eighth day following his rescue, describing an ordeal where he kept his eyes shut and subsisted on seepage and mud water. Rescue operations involving Indian and Nepali teams have continued to focus on workers trapped across multiple tunnels, while fresh air pockets were located inside the flooded structures during the broader search efforts.

   Why it matters

   The disaster struck when floods tore through hydropower station infrastructure in Nepal, inundating tunnels and trapping workers in an event that tested national emergency response capabilities. The discovery of survivors, including Sah, provided a stark contrast to initial fears and brought relief to waiting families. Search and rescue teams from both Nepal and India have pushed forward to locate other missing personnel amid ongoing operations.

   What is confirmed

   • Sanjay Sah spent nine days trapped in a dark tunnel linked to a hydropower station after a devastating flood.
   • Sanjay Sah was discharged from the hospital on the eighth day.
   • Rescue efforts for workers trapped in tunnels involve Indian and Nepali teams.

   Still unconfirmed

   • One source reported that a hydropower worker survived 10 days in a flooded tunnel in Nepal.

   What to watch next

   • Further updates from rescue teams working in the remaining tunnels
   • Official casualty and survivor counts from the Rasuwa and Bhotekoshi flood zones
   Sources used for this update (21)

   1. theguardian.com — Rescuers in Nepal find two more people alive after flood disaster
   2. The New York Times — The Family Had Held Her Funeral, but She Was Clinging to Life
   3. Politico — Nepal flood survivor’s family in China relieved after days of anxious waiting
   4. Reuters — EXCLUSIVE: Trapped nine days in a dark tunnel, Nepali man tells his survival story
   5. The Detroit News — Nepal rescue focused on workers trapped in three tunnels
   6. yahoo.com — Trapped in a tunnel for nine days: Nepali man recounts ordeal
   7. Ekantipur — Sanjay Sah discharged from hospital on the eighth day, says, “Everything is fine now”
   8. Ratopati — Access Road to Chilime Hydropower Project Tunnel Completed
   9. Nepalnews.com — Nepal’s ‘tunnel era’ was hailed as progress. Then came the Rasuwa flood
   10. nytimes.com — In Flood-Stricken Nepal, a Cool Gust Carries Hopes of a Miracle Rescue
   11. ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation — Fresh air found for first time in inundated Nepal tunnels
   12. Inshorts — Drank floodwater, kept eyes shut: Man rescued from tunnel 9 days after Nepal floods | His survival was hailed as a miracle | Inshorts
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