SANKHUWASABHA, June 17: Four persons went missing after a huge mass of earth caved in at Numko Fyakisanda tunnel site of the Arun III hydro power project in Sankhuwasabha district, Friday.
The mud mound caved in and swept away the workers along with a dozer at around 8:40 pm. The missing have been identified as Pradip Shahi, 32, of Siuna Rural Municipality, Kalikot; Prem Pariyar, 44, of Chandannath Municipality-1, Jumla; dozer operator Budhan Munda, 55, of Jharkhand, India; and pump helper Nanda Kishor, 45, of Bihar.
Arun III rescue operation (video)
It is thought that the missing are trapped inside the 30 meter long tunnel and they must be alive because there is oxygen and water . Three dozers are being used for the rescue work. But heavy rainfall is hampering the effort.
Security personnel including some 15 from the Nepal Army Barahadal Battalion, 10 from the Armed Police Force Manebhanjyang Base Camp, six from the district police office, 17 from Bhimkali Battalion, Hedangnagadhi and 20 police deployed at the tunnel are involved in the rescue work.
“Rescue work has been hindered by continuous landslide, “said Deputy Superintendent of Police, Shyam Kumar Saru Magar of the district police office.
