Australian geologist Arnold Dix was approached by Nepal authorities to help locate workers trapped in hydropower tunnels after a devastating flood. The glacial collapse sent tsunami-like waves through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river valleys, killing more than 1,300 people and leaving over 4,000 missing. Rescuers focused on the Trishuli 3A hydropower project, relying on engineering drawings, satellite imagery, and old charts to identify potential survival zones underground.

The efforts centered on the cable tunnel running from the powerhouse to the transmission grid. Rescuers dug through mud, blasted through massive rocks, and drained floodwater to reach survivors. On Friday, rescuers heard faint responses, and at least two workers were found alive: Sanjay Sah, a mechanical foreman, and Kabir Maharjan, a mechanical supervisor, both employees of the Nepal Electricity Authority.

More than 40 people were thought to be inside the tunnel. Dix described the emotional moment of hearing survivors and warned they would learn thousands had died. He is en route to Kathmandu to continue ground-level rescue efforts.