KATHMANDU: A Chinese national rescued from the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project tunnel after being trapped for 11 days is currently receiving treatment at the Army Hospital in Chhauni. The 49-year-old, identified as Lu Haitao, was rescued on Saturday from the 225-meter-long tunnel after being trapped by the Bhote Koshi flood on Aug. 26.
In a conversation with the Chinese embassy team, Lu shared that he had heard the whistles blown by the rescue team but struggled to believe they were real. ‘When they shone a bright light in front of my eyes, I could not believe it,’ Lu said. ‘By that time, I had already lost hope of being rescued.’ He added that he did not hear the shouts of the rescue workers during his time inside.
Lu, a farmer from China’s Henan province, arrived in Nepal in February for work but had not informed his family about his specific workplace. His sister, Lu Hairong, said the family only learned about his disappearance six days after the flood occurred. ‘This rescue amidst such a massive disaster is like a miracle for us,’ she said. The family noted that they found it difficult to believe he had been rescued until his photograph was made public.
