Shafaqna English– More than a week after a catastrophic flash flood devastated Nepal’s Trishuli valley on August 26, a dedicated team of engineers is using a WhatsApp group to coordinate rescue operations, guiding workers who are scouring the area for survivors, particularly those who may be trapped inside tunnels of damaged hydropower plants.
The group was created by engineers before the disaster struck and has since become an essential coordination tool, working alongside helicopters and heavy machinery to find missing persons.
Authorities estimate that around 900 people are still unaccounted for, many from six hydropower sites—several under construction—and officials hope some may have taken refuge in tunnels.
However, rescue efforts are severely hampered as the flood has deposited over 2 million tonnes of mud and debris, making even the entrances to these tunnels difficult to locate.
Source: Reuters