Two Workers Found Alive 9 Days After Nepal Floods Trapped Them in Tunnel

In the middle of an enormous tragedy, a moment of hope: Two hydropower workers were rescued alive on Friday from a tunnel that had been buried by debris in Nepal — nine full days after flooding and landslides devastated the region. Video released by Nepal's energy ministry shows rescuers cheering as the first man was pulled from a muddy opening, lifted onto a rescuer's back, and carried toward a helicopter. A second man was carried out on an orange stretcher, hands pressed together in prayer.

The two men were working on a hydropower project when a glacier and mountain collapsed on the China-Nepal border on August 26. That collapse sent a wall of mud, rock, and water rushing through the area, killing at least 1,280 people and leaving more than 5,500 missing. Many of the missing were workers at hydropower sites, which are common in Nepal's steep Himalayan valleys. Hundreds were buried or swept away in a matter of minutes.

Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha praised the rescue as proof that "as long as there is breath, there is hope." Rescuers called it a "miracle" that anyone survived so long underground without food, water, or medical care. They also said rescue operations continue in all affected tunnels — suggesting that more workers may still be alive. The survival of the two men has lifted spirits across Nepal, where grief has dominated for over a week.

But the disaster is far from over. Thousands of families still wait for news of missing loved ones. The massive cleanup and search effort, along with rebuilding damaged roads and power plants, will take months. For now, the rescue is a reminder that even in overwhelming loss, persistent human effort can make the difference between life and death — and why rescue teams keep digging.