Two workers have been pulled out alive from a tunnel in Nepal, nine days after powerful floods hit the border with Tibet and left behind a very heavy human toll. Their rescue comes amid a difficult operation, while dozens of others are believed to remain trapped in the same area.
Rescue after more than a week underground
Sanjaya Shah and Kabir Maharjan were pulled from the tunnel of the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project, where they had been stranded after flash floods. Footage from the operation shows the moment the two men emerge alive after days of being trapped.
According to authorities who spoke to the BBC, both suffered injuries to their hands and legs. After the rescue, they were flown by helicopter to a hospital in Kathmandu for medical treatment.
Dozens more still missing in the tunnel network
Search and rescue operations are continuing, as according to the official account at least 39 people are still believed to be trapped in the same tunnel.
More than 100 others are also reported missing in a network of tunnels in the hydropower plant areas along the Trishuli River, making the scale of the disaster even more severe.
Floods with devastating consequences
The floods hit the area last Wednesday and, according to initial reports, are suspected to have been caused by a glacial collapse. The mass of water caused major damage, destroying roads and buildings in the affected areas.
The toll from the disaster is reported at more than 1,200 victims, while thousands of people continue to be listed as missing. On the ground, emergency teams are facing difficult conditions and severe infrastructure damage.
A sign of life amid the crisis
The rescue of the two workers has been seen as an encouraging development in a situation where the chances of survival are narrowing with each passing day.
However, the fact that many people are still unaccounted for in tunnels and surrounding areas keeps the full scale of the tragedy open.
The emergence alive of the two men from the Trishuli 3A tunnel has brought a moment of relief in the middle of the catastrophe, but the situation in Nepal remains dramatic.
The true weight of the event continues to be tied to the high number of missing people and the difficulties rescue teams are facing on terrain devastated by the floods.