Kathmandu [Nepal], September 17 – Four bodies and a human body part have been recovered from the underground powerhouse of the Chilime Hydropower Project in Rasuwa, 22 days after the Bhotekoshi flood.
The Nepali Army said a joint search and rescue team including divers recovered the bodies and human remains while searching the tunnel leading to the underground powerhouse.
The team entered the powerhouse on Wednesday and searched up to the far end of the tunnel, according to Nepali Army Spokesperson and Brigadier General Rajaram Basnet. The recovered bodies and human remains were airlifted to Trishuli.
A body and a human body part had earlier been recovered from the same tunnel on August 31.
Six people had gone missing from the project after the flood with rescuers suspecting they had been trapped inside the tunnel. Five were employees of the hydropower plant while one was a Nepal Electricity Authority employee deployed at the gate.
Narayan Prasad Acharya, secretary of Chilime Hydropower Company said the recovered bodies had been brought to Trishuli. The identities of the deceased have not yet been established. Families of those believed to have been trapped have been called to Trishuli for identification from Thursday.
The flood swept away the access road and filled the tunnel with mud, silt, rocks and timber delaying the rescue operation.
Meanwhile, the flood death toll has reached 1,403 with more than 6,000 people reported missing. NDRRMA said 104 of the recovered bodies have so far been identified and handed over to their families.
