Er.energyNP@Gmail.com

A potentially hopeful development has emerged in the ongoing rescue operation at the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project, with reports that voices of people have been heard from inside the tunnel.

Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker and engineer Shreeram Neupane, who has been involved in the rescue efforts since the beginning, said information had been received from rescuers that human voices were heard inside the tunnel.

According to Neupane, teams from the Nepali Army and Armed Police Force (APF) have entered the tunnel and intensified the search and rescue operation following the reports.

“Information has been received from the Nepali Army rescue team that human voices have been heard from inside,” Neupane wrote on social media. “The rescue teams of the Nepali Army and Armed Police Force have entered the tunnel and are intensifying the rescue operation.”

He described the reported sound of people speaking from inside the tunnel as an encouraging sign amid the difficult rescue operation.

The latest development has raised hopes that people trapped inside the tunnel may still be alive and could be reached by the rescue teams.

The rescue operation at the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project has been continuing under challenging conditions following the disaster. Rescue personnel have been working to clear debris and gain access to the affected section of the tunnel.

Earlier updates indicated that the tunnel had been heavily affected by water and debris, making access difficult for rescue personnel. Teams have been using equipment and other measures to open the blocked section and reach those potentially trapped inside.

The confirmation of voices from within the tunnel could provide a critical breakthrough in the ongoing operation. Rescue teams are now working to determine the exact location of the people and establish a safe route to reach them.

Authorities have yet to independently confirm the number or identity of people whose voices were reportedly heard.

The Trishuli 3A project, a 60-megawatt hydropower project, has been at the centre of an intensive rescue effort following the disaster, with security forces and technical personnel working to reach the affected area.