No people found inside Rasuwagadhi hydropower tunnel after flood search

Rasuwa, August 31, 2026 — A search team led by the Nepali Army has found no people inside the tunnel of the Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project following the devastating flood in the Bhote Koshi River.

The Nepali Army team had entered the tunnel after concerns that workers could have been trapped in its final section following the flood. Engineers and a drone team were also involved in the search operation.

The team searched the inner sections of the tunnel and reached its final point. Drones were also used to inspect areas that were difficult to access directly.

According to the Nepali Army, the search found no signs of human presence inside the tunnel. After completing the inspection and confirming that no people were found there, the rescue team returned to Dhunche in Rasuwa.

The search was conducted amid wider rescue operations following the massive Bhote Koshi flood, which caused extensive damage to settlements, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure in Rasuwa and downstream districts.

Several hydropower projects in the affected region have been severely damaged, while concerns had previously been raised that workers could have been trapped inside tunnels following the sudden flooding and heavy deposition of mud, rocks and debris.

The latest search at the Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project provides confirmation that no people were inside the tunnel at the time of the inspection. Search and rescue operations, however, continue in other affected areas as authorities work to locate people who remain missing after the disaster.