Nepalese rescue teams, assisted by specialists from India and China, are racing to locate hundreds of people believed to be trapped inside hydropower tunnels following catastrophic floods that have killed hundreds and left more than 3,000 people missing.
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The disaster struck after a glacier collapse triggered a powerful surge of water, ice, rocks and mud through parts of the Himalayan region, destroying homes, roads, bridges and several hydropower facilities.
Authorities say around 933 people linked to hydropower projects remain unaccounted for, although it is unclear how many are actually trapped underground. Rescue teams are concentrating their efforts on several projects along the Trishuli corridor, where tunnel entrances have been blocked by enormous quantities of mud and debris.
At the Upper Trishuli hydropower complex, rescuers have been using drilling machines, excavators and hydraulic equipment to clear access routes. Teams have reached parts of one tunnel and are preparing to use oxygen supplies and cameras to assess conditions inside.
The rescue operation has been severely hampered by heavy rain, rising river levels, damaged infrastructure and the difficult Himalayan terrain. More than 21,000 security personnel have been involved in the wider emergency response, while specialist teams from neighbouring countries are providing additional expertise and equipment.
The flooding has caused enormous damage to Nepal's hydropower infrastructure, with several facilities damaged or destroyed and a significant amount of generating capacity knocked offline.
As rescue workers continue clearing tunnels and searching for signs of life, families and colleagues of the missing workers are anxiously waiting for news, while authorities race against time to reach anyone who may still be trapped underground