Nepal hydropower tunnel traps 40 workers as vehicle jams entrance
40 workers got trapped deep inside a Nepal hydropower tunnel during a sudden flood on August 26.
In an unexpected twist, a vehicle swept in by the water jammed at the tunnel entrance and stopped mud from completely blocking their way out.
With no way to call for help, the group waited nearly 45 minutes before making their way out.
Workers tested sludge up to 1.5m
To get out, the workers climbed to higher ground and used an iron rod to check how deep the sludge was, sometimes as much as 1.5 meters.
They stuck together for support and spent nearly two-and-a-half hours wading through thick mud and water until they finally made it out.
One worker, Leelanath Neupane, said honestly, "If the vehicle had not got stuck in the tunnel, our entire tunnel would have filled with mud."
Afterward, everyone was taken to an army camp, many still shaken by what they'd been through.