Kathmandu, August 27
A total of 215 employees from five hydropower projects in the Bhotekoshi flood-affected area are out of contact.
According to the Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN), the workers have been unreachable since Wednesday’s devastating flood.
IPPAN said 76 employees of Andritz Hydro, the contractor working on the under-construction 216 MW Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower project, are out of contact, about half of them Nepali and half foreign nationals. Of these, 11 employees of project developer Nepal Water and Energy Development Company are out of contact, including 8 Korean nationals working on the project. Seven staff from project consultants Zed Consult and Lama Xavier’s JV are also unreachable.
IPPAN said 12 of the project’s employees working in the headworks area and more than 200 in the powerhouse area are awaiting rescue.
“There are unconfirmed reports that a first phase of rescue has taken place from the project site,” IPPAN stated in its statement.
At the Rasuwagadhi (111 MW) project, 51 employees are out of contact. Three people saved themselves by climbing to higher ground in Timure, but no communication has been established with anyone.
Eight employees at the powerhouse of the Mailung Khola (5 MW) project have been out of contact since Wednesday, IPPAN said, adding that efforts are underway to arrange a helicopter to survey the site.
“Two employees of Sinohydro are missing. Five have taken shelter in a nearby village — of these, 3 Chinese and 2 Nepali nationals are awaiting rescue,” IPPAN said.
Similarly, 60 people (25 staff and 35 workers) trapped in a tunnel at the Langtang Khola (20 MW) project due to the same flood remain out of contact, and their condition remains unknown. Although representatives of the developer company have attempted to reach the area for rescue, a helicopter has not yet been arranged.
