19 August, Kathmandu. The bodies of six people were found on Friday in the 216 MW Upper Trishuli-1 project that was damaged by the flood. During the search for the missing people in the tunnels and headworks of the project, the bodies of six people were found with the help of a trained dog, the Association of Private Energy Producers (IPAN) has informed. The six dead bodies found in Salletar area have been brought to Battar by the Nepali Army.
According to the project, Korean rescue team, Sherpas, search, drone team are active for rescue. Special cameras and trained dogs have also been taken to the area. For the rescue, the company said that 15 different rescue machines and equipment have been delivered and the rescue will be accelerated at the project site tomorrow. It is said that the work of the water pump in the tunnel is continuing.
Before the flood, a total of 1,433 people were working at the Upper Trishuli-1 project site. Out of them, 876 people have been rescued so far. Another 551 people are without contact.
The management team of developer companies and construction companies Dosan and Power China have requested the Home Secretary to facilitate the transportation of more equipment and machines for rescue.
IPAN has informed that the rescue work of those trapped in the power plant could not be started even on Friday after delivering the machinery equipment to the 111 MW Rasuwagadhi project site. Although efforts were made to search for those who lost contact by taking a group of Sherpas, the project said that due to the continuously rising water level in the river and bad weather, the machinery equipment could not be taken to the project site to start the search.
It is said that although the machinery equipment and necessary equipment were taken from Trishuli to Dhunche, they could not reach the project site. As it will be difficult to reach the project site from Dhunche and return to Dhunche in the evening, Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Company, the promoter, said that they are going to make arrangements to make a camp at the high place where the surge tank of the project is located from Saturday. 93 people are missing from Rasuwagadhi.
On the other hand, even for 10 days, the status of those missing from the 37 MW Upper Trishuli 3 'B' project has not been known. During excavation with small machinery equipment at the project site, the river has reached the place where the power house is located.
After digging 2 meters below the surface of the Trishuli river, nothing of the structure of the power house was found, and preparations have been made to dig up to 12 meters. The security personnel engaged in the search and rescue operation said that nothing was found during the search operation from the surge tank to the penstock of the project.
It is said that efforts have been made to see if more machinery equipment can be taken from the audit tunnel of the project. The project has informed that due to continuous rain and rising water level in the river, it is difficult to bring large machinery equipment to the project site.
191 people are missing from Trishuli-3 'B'. Among the missing are 141 people from the construction company Fewa Construction, 21 employees of the promoter of the project Trishuli Hydropower Company, 7 employees' families, 12 people from the consultant Chilime Engineering (consultant), 1 security guard, and 3 students from the engineering faculty of Kathmandu University who went for internship. 23 people working in the tunnel escaped safely and saved their lives.
10 days after the flood, 2 people who were trapped in the power house of Upper Trishuli 3A were rescued safely on Friday morning. After continuous efforts, after 216 hours, it was possible to safely rescue Koiladi-8, Sanjay Sah of Saptari and Kabir Marhajan of Balkumari Kathmandu. Efforts are being made to search and rescue others, Nepal Electricity Authority said.
Out of the 41 people who were missing in the 20 MW Langtang River, 2 people were found on Thursday, but the condition of the others is yet to be known. On Friday, the Nepali Army entered the tunnel and searched. 19 people were rescued from this project and 2 people were found dead. The condition of 39 people is still unknown.
On the other hand, six people trapped in the underground power house in Chilime could not be rescued even by hydropower. 7 people working at Mailungkhola hydropower have not yet been contacted, IPAN said. Four people have lost contact from Rasuwa Bhotekoshi, which is under construction.
