Over 133 Employees Missing in Rasuwa Flood, Power Projects Affected

Kathmandu. More than 133 employees and workers working in various hydropower projects have gone missing in the Rasuwa flood. According to the latest data from the Nepal Electricity Authority, more than 133 employees and workers have gone missing in the flood. This includes foreign workers. According to the authority, 21 employees working at the site of the under-construction Trishuli 3B of the Trishuli Hydropower Company are out of contact. Six people working in the power plant area of Chilime Hydropower Company's Chilime Hydropower Center and one person around the residential area are out of contact. Similarly, 11 people working for Chesko Company under Chilime Hydropower Company and working at the site of the under-construction Trishuli 3B of Trishuli Hydropower Company are out of contact. 51 people working at the Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Center under Chilime Hydropower Company are in contact, while others are missing. 45 employees and workers involved in maintenance work at the power house of Trishuli 3A Hydropower Center are missing. One employee each working at the authority's Trishuli Hydropower Center and Devighat Hydropower Center is out of contact. One person working at the switchyard of Chilime Power House from the Rasuwa Distribution Center is out of contact, while the meter reader from the same distribution center is also out of contact. 16 people working from the contractor's side at the Trishuli 220 KV 3B hub are missing. The authority has stated that 29 people working from various contractors for maintenance and construction work at the Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Center are also missing. After employees and workers went missing due to the flood, a team led by the acting executive director of the Electricity Authority, Dirghayu Shrestha, visited the affected area and conducted an inspection. Shrestha has mobilized the authority's team to the affected area for the search and rescue of the missing persons. Shrestha said that another team is active in the local area to transfer and rescue employees and general public at risk to a safe place. According to acting executive director Shrestha, efforts are underway to establish contact with the missing persons in the transmission and generation structure areas. For this, coordination is being done with the local administration, security bodies, local levels, health institutions, and concerned stakeholders to collect details of the missing employees and those in the work area, and search and rescue operations are ongoing.