Kathmandu, September 27 — The Nepal Army has described the rescue operations inside tunnels buried under mud and rocks following the Bhotekoshi flood in Rasuwa as one of the most challenging and high-risk phases of the disaster response.
According to the Nepal Army, the rescue operation was carried out under extremely difficult conditions, including rapidly changing weather, narrow mountainous flight zones, limited helipads, communication disruptions, unpredictable river currents, continuous landslides and large quantities of mud and rocks blocking hydropower tunnels.
Nepal Army spokesperson Brigadier General Rajaram Basnet said the Bhotekoshi disaster had demonstrated the need to treat disaster response as a coordinated, high-risk operation requiring close cooperation among multiple agencies rather than as a routine administrative task.
More than 9,300 Army personnel were mobilized during the month-long search, rescue and recovery operation following the flood. Quick Reaction Teams and emergency medical teams were also deployed, along with helicopters for immediate search and rescue operations.
With road networks severely disrupted, air operations were given priority. Seven military helicopters, including MI-17 aircraft, as well as private-sector aviation resources were mobilized. Bases were established in Trishuli and Dhunche, from where regular flights were conducted.
The aerial rescue operation successfully evacuated 4,242 people, including 3,959 Nepali citizens and 283 foreign nationals from 12 countries. Food, medicine, rations and oxygen cylinders were also transported to affected areas using helicopters and drones.
Ground-based search and rescue operations were conducted along riverbanks, forests, hills and areas where roads had been cut off by floods and landslides. Army teams carried out foot patrols in heavily affected settlements and used thermal drones and other modern equipment to identify possible locations.
The Army said it assisted in the management of 1,451 bodies recovered during excavation and search operations.
The most difficult part of the operation involved hydropower tunnels that had been buried by flood debris. After continuous efforts, seven people were rescued alive from different tunnel locations.
At the Trishuli-3A hydropower project, drilling machines, excavators, rock breakers and controlled explosions were used to clear obstructions. Oxygen was pumped into the tunnel, allowing two people trapped inside to be rescued alive on September 4.
At the Upper Trishuli-1 project, a Chinese national trapped approximately 225 meters deep inside an audit tunnel was successfully rescued using a rubber boat and thermal camera. A total of 37 bodies were also recovered from the area.
At the Chilime tunnel, rescue teams opened an approximately 1,050-meter alternative route. Following the breakthrough, five bodies and human remains were recovered. Search and excavation operations were also conducted at the Rasuwagadhi and Trishuli-3B hydropower projects.
Personnel and technical assistance from neighboring and friendly countries also joined the Nepal Army in tunnel search and rescue operations.
Medical assistance was another major component of the response. Emergency treatment centers and medical patrols were established in Trishuli and Dhunche, providing direct medical services to 4,003 people. Seriously injured victims rescued from difficult terrain and tunnel areas were airlifted to Birendra Hospital in Kathmandu for emergency treatment.
Health services were also provided at temporary shelters and holding centers for displaced residents. Disinfection operations were carried out in coordination with local authorities to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks.
The Nepal Army also contributed to restoring infrastructure damaged by the flood. An Acrow bridge approximately 60 meters long and capable of carrying 60 tons was installed over the Tadi River at Devighat in Nuwakot after five days of continuous work. The bridge came into operation on September 10.
Temporary footbridges and rope crossings were constructed in the Syafrubesi–Chilime and Indreni Ghat areas. Work was also advanced to prepare an access route for the construction of a Bailey bridge in Betrabati.
The Nepal Army said coordination among the Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, local administration, local governments and communities played a significant role in the overall disaster response.
The Army noted that rescue teams continued prioritizing civilian lives despite some military personnel and their families also being affected by the disaster. The successful rescue of survivors from deep inside narrow and dangerous hydropower tunnels has provided valuable experience for future disaster-response operations, according to the Army.
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