Two people rescued alive from debris 10 days after devastating floods

Ten days after catastrophic flooding struck Nepal, rescue teams found two people alive in separate operations on Saturday, offering rare moments of hope amid a disaster that has killed more than 1,300 people and left thousands missing.

One survivor, identified as Chinese national Lu Haitao, was located inside a blocked tunnel at the Trishuli hydropower project. A joint team of Nepalese military personnel and South Korean rescuers reached him after working through debris that had obstructed the tunnel.

Officials said Lu was conscious and in stable condition when rescuers brought him out. He was transported by helicopter for medical treatment.

The second survivor, a woman whose identity was not immediately released, was discovered inside a flood-damaged house in Nepal’s Nuwakot district. Video from the rescue showed her covered in mud as emergency workers carefully carried her from the damaged structure.

Rescuers gave the woman water, wrapped her in a blanket and prepared her for evacuation. She was later flown to Kathmandu for further medical care.

Separate rescues offer hope

The two Saturday rescues took place at different locations and should not be confused with another operation conducted a day earlier. On Friday, emergency workers rescued two Nepalese workers who had been trapped in a separate tunnel.

The latest survivors were found as search teams continued examining collapsed buildings, damaged infrastructure and areas buried by mud and debris. Rescue work has remained difficult because of blocked roads, unstable structures and disruption to communications across affected communities.

The floods struck on August 26 after a powerful surge of water swept through communities near the Nepal-China border. Authorities have said the disaster may have been caused by the collapse of a glacier, although investigations into the exact cause are continuing.

Nepal’s disaster management agency reported that more than 1,300 people had died and over 5,000 remained missing. The flooding also damaged homes, roads, bridges and hydropower facilities, leaving many communities isolated and without essential services.

The survival of the two people after ten days underscores the importance of continuing search operations even as hopes of finding more people alive diminish. Authorities and international rescue teams remain focused on locating the missing, treating survivors and restoring access to communities cut off by the disaster.