Tunnel Filled With Mud and Silt... Even with Drones Launched, "No Trace of People"

[Anchor]

The death toll from the great flood has exceeded 1,000. While miraculous rescue reports are occasionally heard, no trace of human life has yet been found in several hydroelectric power plant tunnels where more than 600 people are estimated to be trapped.

Reporter Gwak Sang-eun has the details.

[Reporter]

Inside a tunnel filled with muddy water and silt.

Before rescue workers entered to search for missing persons, they inspected the interior using thermal imaging drones.

However, no trace of people is visible anywhere on the screen.

[Manish Maharjan / Nepalese Mountaineer (Thermal imaging drone operator): Seeing that mud, water, and silt from the flood filled 80 to 90 percent of the tunnel height, we lost hope.]

It is estimated that at least 600 people are trapped inside tunnels at several hydroelectric power plants. At sites where the water has receded and entry has become possible, rescue workers are risking their own lives to search for the missing.

Nepalese authorities stated that they have rescued approximately 11,800 people from the flood-affected areas so far, but no additional survivors inside the tunnels have been found since August 30.

[Nepali Army Spokesperson: Large-scale search operations are underway in all tunnels. The latest information is still being compiled.]

The moment a massive wall of muddy water struck without giving anyone time to escape.

A woman holding the hands of her two young children flees from the fierce torrent.

After falling and getting back up to run desperately, she narrowly managed to save her lives.

Just before the flood struck, a student's cell phone, who had escaped from school on a school bus, vividly captured the ferocious current rushing right up behind them.

[Flood Survivor Student (English Dubbed): Through the bus window, I saw the rapid current chasing us. Everyone started crying and screaming.]

As a week has passed since the nightmare flood swept through, the confirmed death toll in Nepal and China combined has exceeded 1,066, with more than 4,400 people still missing.

(Video by Park Choon-bae)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.