A Nepalese hydropower project worker rescued from a tunnel after being trapped for nine days after devastating floods swept through parts of Nepal on August 26, said he kept chanting the ‘Hare Krishna’ mantra while waiting to be rescued.
Sanjay Sah, a 30-year-old Nepal Electricity Authority employee from Saptari district in Madhesh province, was among two workers rescued from the tunnel at the Trishuli 3A hydropower project on Friday.
Sah told security personnel that he had been chanting the Hare Krishna mahamantra throughout the nine days he remained trapped.
“I was chanting Hare Krishna mahamantra for the past nine days,” he said shortly after being brought to safety.
His rescue coincided with Krishna Janmashtami, the Hindu festival marking the birth of Lord Krishna.
According to security officials, Sah was in stable condition and had no immediate health concerns. He was taken to a local hospital in Trishuli for medical evaluation.
The second worker rescued, 45-year-old Kabir Maharjan, was airlifted to the Nepal Army Hospital in Chhauni, Kathmandu, for further treatment due to health complications.
Sah, a foreman at the project, said he remained behind when others fled following the accident because he felt responsible for ensuring their safety.
“I was working in the control room. My responsibility was to save everyone’s life,” he said.
Sah said he had urged the others to flee after the accident, but by the time they had evacuated, it was too late for him to escape.
Asked about the possibility of other workers still being trapped inside, Sah said he had heard or communicated with three or four people in his vicinity by talking or making noises.
“There were only three or four people with whom we were able to communicate, nearby, by talking or making noises,” he said.
However, Sah said more people could be trapped deeper inside the tunnel, including near the powerhouse.
“Not everyone may have been able to escape. The tunnel is very long,” he said, adding that the force of the floodwater could have swept some workers deeper inside.
A Nepal Army-led security command has been carrying out the search and rescue operation using specialised equipment as efforts continue to locate any remaining workers.
(With inputs from PTI)
