Two men were rescued alive from a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A hydropower project on Friday, nine days after a flash flood tore through Nepal, with one of the survivors saying he kept chanting the ‘Hare Krishna’ mantra, praying that rescuers would reach him.
The two men were identified as Kabir Maharjan, 45, a mechanical supervisor at the project, and Sanjay Sah, 30, a foreman, the public relations directorate of the Nepal Army said.
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Maharjan was airlifted to the Nepal Army Hospital in Kathmandu. His condition is reported to be critical. Sah is receiving treatment at Trishuli Hospital in Nuwakot, Nepali Army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet said.
‘Kept chanting Hare Krishna’: Man rescued alive from tunnel
Sah, a resident of Saptari district in Nepal’s Madhesh province, told security personnel that he had spent the last nine days trapped inside the tunnel, chanting the 'Hare Krishna' mantra, news agency PTI reported.
{{/usCountry}}Sah, a resident of Saptari district in Nepal’s Madhesh province, told security personnel that he had spent the last nine days trapped inside the tunnel, chanting the 'Hare Krishna' mantra, news agency PTI reported.
{{/usCountry}}"I was chanting Hare Krishna mahamantra for the past nine days," he said while briefly recounting his ordeal after being brought out safely.
He said he remained behind when others escaped following the disaster because he believed it was his responsibility to ensure everyone's safety.
When asked how many people could still be trapped inside, Sah said he had heard or been able to communicate with three or four people close to him. "There were only three or four people with whom we were able to communicate, nearby, by talking or making noises."
He added that more people could be trapped further inside the tunnel, possibly near the powerhouse.
Maharjan's family celebrates rescue
Maharjan's wife said her husband, who is from Kathmandu, had been given a "second life" and expressed gratitude to the rescuers who put their own lives at risk to save him.
"He has returned with a second life. We are extremely happy," his wife, Hira Shobha, was quoted as saying by the Kathmandu Post. "We had been waiting. I am now going to the hospital to see my husband."
His sister described the rescue as a “miracle” and said he had been trapped in the tunnel for several days. “This is a miracle. We had once given up hope… The time when the news came, I had just performed the pooja. I then called other sisters and thanked God for bringing my brother safely back,” she told news agency ANI.
At least 1,287 people were killed in Nepal after houses, roads and schools in towns and villages near the Tibet border were swept away.
So far, 5,083 people are reported missing, while thousands of others have been displaced. China has reported 21 deaths in Tibet, with another 541 people listed as missing.
With inputs from agencies