A Nepali worker who was trapped for nine days inside a dark tunnel at a hydropower station in his home country has detailed his harrowing experience. Sanjay Sah, relying on floodwater for survival with no food, clung to hope and thoughts of his family to endure the isolation until rescue teams reached him.
Fear of Darkness and Injury
Sah, a 30-year-old mechanical supervisor at the Upper Trishuli 3A hydropower station, where he worked for over three years, was caught in a massive flood that struck after a glacier collapse in the Himalayas in late August. In an interview with Reuters following his hospital discharge, Sah revealed that the complete darkness in the tunnel forced him to keep his eyes closed for extended periods, afraid of being injured by debris.
"There was nothing to see. I feared stumbling or hitting something that could injure my eyes, so I kept them shut most of the time," Sah explained, adding that this made it difficult even to open his eyes once rescued.
Tragedy Claims Thousands
The glacier collapse resulted in widespread destruction in the valleys below the mountains, confirming the deaths of at least 1,300 people, with over 5,300 others still missing in Nepal and the Tibetan region of China. Sah is currently recuperating at his sister's home in the capital, Kathmandu, after being rescued from the station built deep within a mountain.
Survival Without Food
During his days in the tunnel, he found no food but managed to survive by drinking floodwater and seepage from the mountain rocks.
Family Provided Strength
From the fifth floor of the six-story station, Sah attempted to call out to see if others had survived, but received no response. He remained convinced from the beginning that rescue teams would find him, bolstered by thoughts of his 26-year-old wife and two-year-old daughter, which provided him significant moral strength.
"I kept telling myself that there’s a family outside waiting for my return and suffering due to my absence. Thinking about them lifted my spirits and gave me the strength to continue," he said.
Loss of Time Perception
Sah also indicated that he was unaware he was rescued on the tenth day following the disaster. "I completely lost track of time and felt like I was in another world. I thought only two or three days had passed, so I was shocked when I learned ten full days had elapsed." He suffered repeated injuries and scratches from debris and broken lights filling the area, with some even piercing his feet.
Tunnel Became a Maze
The tunnel, once familiar to Sah, changed entirely after the flood. "Before the flood, I knew every part of it and could navigate it easily. But after the catastrophe, everything changed. Equipment was swept away, boxes scattered, walls collapsed, and debris piled up into mounds and pits. My knowledge of the place was no longer useful," he said.
A Life-Saving Decision
Initially, Sah attempted to move around and find an exit, only to realize it might lead him to a more dangerous spot. He decided to remain in what he thought was the safest place. "I returned to the area that felt the safest and stayed there. That’s exactly where the rescue teams found me. I don’t know what would have happened if I had kept moving," he said.
Sounds of Hope
In the final hours before his rescue, he began hearing sounds from outside, indicating that help was on the way. He heard drilling sounds and the clanging of metal ladders, giving him hope that his ordeal was nearing its end.
"I knew they were coming and that a rescue operation would begin to search for us," he said.
A Companion in Tragedy
Sah also disclosed that his colleague, Kabir Maharjan, 45, was also trapped inside the tunnel, suffering more severe injuries. They attempted to climb to higher floors during the initial flooding, believing the water wouldn’t reach such heights, but the chaos from the surging water separated them. "We reached the sixth floor when the water began entering from below. A sudden air pressure wave hit us first, followed by the water. I lost my mobile phone, and it was swept away by the floodwaters, and I didn’t know where Kabir ended up," Sah recounted.
Survivor's Joy and Loss
However, Sah notes that his joy at surviving is overshadowed by the fate of others who couldn’t escape. He had advised some workers to evacuate the tunnel before the flood arrived, and they managed to exit, but the waters later swept them away, claiming their lives.
He concluded, "That is the saddest part of this story."