Rescue operations in Nepal are intensifying, particularly near flood affected hydroelectric stations, including Trishuli-3A. Multinational specialised teams from India and China are said to be working round the clock to reach workers trapped inside underground passages following the recent floods and devastating natural disaster.

As cited by the BBC, Nepali authorities report at least 794 fatalities and more than 2,500 people still missing across the country, while state media in neighbouring Tibet province of China has confirmed 16 deaths and 546 unaccounted for.

Rescue teams have purportedly been unable to establish communication with individuals trapped inside the affected hydroelectric facilities and the tunnels underneath them, with hydro project staff constituting a significant portion of the total unlocated population following the disaster.

The inability to make contact has heightened concerns among responders about the condition of those still trapped underground and if they will be able to recover them in time before more succumb to lack of breathable air, injuries sustained due to the impact of the gushing water, starvation or infectious diseases in a confined space.

The scale of the missing figures, spanning both Nepal and Tibet, underscores the severity of the flooding event, which has not only made a major part of the affected populations virtually homeless but also overwhelmed critical infrastructure including schools, community centers, religious places, farms and granaries, as well as power generation facilities.

According to a report by All India Radio citing India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), New Delhi has dispatched over 68.5 tonnes of relief aid to Nepal onboard four separate flights mainly conducted by the Indian Air Force aboard C130J and C-17 aircraft.