The 30-year-old Nepali hydroelectric sector worker Sanjay Sah survived for ten days trapped in a flooded tunnel, in the dark, drinking murky water and unable to distinguish the passage of time. He was rescued alive on September 4 by an emergency team, after the catastrophic landslide of August 26, caused by a glacier collapse on the China-Nepal border. Sah told AFP that when he was removed from the tunnel, his first question was how many days had passed, as he had the impression that only a few days had passed since he was trapped. He stated that he desperately prayed to be rescued throughout the entire period.
Sah is one of hundreds of workers from hydroelectric projects affected by the catastrophe, which left at least one person dead. The landslide struck a hydroelectric project area, where many workers were employed. Sah's extraordinary survival represented a rare ray of hope amid the tragedy, which caused a significant number of victims.
In the interview given to AFP while returning home, in Saptari district, Sah described the experience as a second chance at life. He worked on one of the hydroelectric projects in the region, which are large and frequently employ hundreds of workers, including many migrants from other parts of Nepal. The August 26 catastrophe was triggered by a glacial collapse and caused massive landslides that affected the region's infrastructure.
