A Nepalese man, Sanjay Saha, 30, was rescued after being trapped for nine days in a tunnel of a hydroelectric power plant in the Himalayan region near the Nepal-China border due to severe flooding. He survived by drinking muddy water.
According to Yonhap News on September 12, Saha, who had worked as a mechanical supervisor at the Trishuli 3A Hydroelectric Plant in central-northern Bagmati Province for over three years, was familiar with the tunnel's layout but found himself unable to escape alone.
“Before the flood, I knew every corner of the tunnel and could go deep inside without difficulty,” Saha said. “But after the flood, the entire structure of the tunnel changed completely.”
He added, “The equipment was swept away, and the walls collapsed. The debris created hills and pits, making my knowledge of the tunnel useless.”
Saha stated, “I did not give up. Initially, I moved around the tunnel, but I realized I could get trapped in a more dangerous spot, so I decided to stay in one place.”
With no food available, he drank muddy water and water seeping from rocks. “I kept telling myself, ‘I am not alone,’ thinking about how my family might be suffering outside. That thought gave me strength,” he recounted.
Finally, on September 4, he was rescued by Nepalese rescue teams after being trapped for nine days.
“Inside the tunnel, I completely lost track of time. I thought only two or three days had passed, but I was shocked to learn that nearly ten days had gone by since my rescue,” he said.
As of now, the severe flooding that occurred on August 26 has resulted in over 1,400 deaths and more than 5,600 people missing in Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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