Lu Haitao is rescued from a flooded hydropower tunnel in Nepal 10 days after catastrophic flash floods

Lu Haitao, a Chinese national, was rescued from a 225-meter hydropower tunnel in Nepal approximately 10 days after devastating flash floods struck the region on August 26. The floods, triggered by a glacier collapse, left more than 1,300 people dead and thousands more missing. Lu Haitao was pulled from the tunnel and evacuated by helicopter, reportedly in stable condition. During his time underground, Lu Haitao described struggling to attract the attention of rescue crews, often shouting toward their lights. While he was being rescued, two other workers, Sanjaya Shah and Kabir Maharjan, were also pulled alive from the same tunnel complex. One of these survivors reported that others may still be alive inside the tunnel, though this has not been confirmed. The disaster has damaged over 7,500 homes and 55 kilometers of road. The Nepali Army is currently working to rescue those cut off by the floods and rebuild bridges. The State Department has committed $3.6 million to the relief effort, with an additional $3 million pledged through the World Food Programme.

Sources

• CNN
  September 5, 2026 — Updates on rescue efforts in Nepal 10 days after catastrophic floods

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Paywall and unreadable sources

• The New York Times
  She Was Given Up for Dead, Then a Faint Cry Came From the Depths of the Mud
• Reuters
  Nepal rescue focused on workers trapped in three tunnels
• Reuters
  EXCLUSIVE: How two men survived nine days in a Nepal flood tunnel
• Politico
  Nepal flood survivor’s family in China relieved after days of anxious waiting