A Nepali hydropower worker, Sanjay Sah, recounts surviving for about 10 days inside a flooded tunnel after a flash flood hits the China-Nepal border on August 26. He describes being trapped in total darkness, drinking muddy water, and waiting for rescuers. Sah is rescued on September 4.
The accounts place him among hundreds of workers involved in hydropower projects in the area. Outlets also situate his survival within a wider disaster that is described as catastrophic and centered near the Nepal-Tibet border. Multiple reports say the flood kills at least 1,429 people and leaves more than 5,640 others missing.
While the different outlets largely focus on Sah’s personal experience—his time trapped and his account of endurance—the emphasis varies. One outlet highlights his story as a rare ray of hope amid mass casualties and missing persons, while another underscores that the incident affects hydropower projects employing large numbers of workers.
