For nine terrifying days, the flooded hydropower tunnels in Nepal had been shrouded in darkness, mud and uncertainty. Rescue teams pushed deeper into the damaged passages, not knowing whether anyone could still be alive inside. Then came the breakthrough: Sanjaya Shah and Kabir Maharjan were found alive inside the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project. 🙏❤️

Both men were suffering from injuries to their hands and legs, but rescuers managed to bring them out of the tunnel and airlift them to a hospital in Kathmandu. Their survival came amid a devastating disaster that has left thousands dead or missing, making the rescue an extraordinary moment of hope in an otherwise heartbreaking operation.

But the tunnel still held tragedy. After reaching the area, rescuers also discovered the body of another person who had apparently been caught in the floodwater while attempting to escape. Other teams searching nearby hydropower tunnels have recovered additional bodies, while authorities continue working to identify victims, including through DNA testing. 😔

💔 NINE DAYS TRAPPED. COMPLETE DARKNESS. FLOODWATER ALL AROUND THEM. THEN, SOMEHOW, TWO MEN WALKED BACK INTO THE LIGHT. Their rescue is one of the rare pieces of hope emerging from Nepal’s devastating floods. As crews continue searching the tunnels, families are still waiting for news of their loved ones. Sometimes, hope is found in the darkest places. 🙏❤️