Rescuers in Nepal pulled two workers alive from an underground tunnel at a hydroelectric plant on Friday, raising hopes of reaching dozens of people believed trapped nine days after deadly floods swept through villages and submerged the Himalayan region in mud and debris. Search teams first heard voices from inside the tunnel in the morning, allowing them to locate the two men, said Nepalese lawmaker Shri Ram Neupane. Footage showed a rescuer carrying one of the workers, covered in mud, on his back, while soldiers from both sides helped. One of those rescued said there are more people alive inside the tunnel, according to army spokesman Brig. “I can’t explain what we feel right now. We are just grateful to God,” Amir Maharjan, brother of one of those rescued, told The Associated Press. Story continues below advertisement 2:00 Canadians lend a hand as massive relief effort begins in Nepal Basnet confirmed the rescue of the first trapped worker, and Neupane posted about the second on his Facebook page shortly after. Get the latest national news Get the latest Canadian news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you don’t miss any breaking news. Both men were flown to a hospital in Kathmandu and Maharjan said his family was on the way there. One of the survivors was in critical condition, according to a statement from the prime minister’s office. Officials identified the men as a mechanical foreman and a mechanical supervisor. They were rescued from a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A plant. Around 900 workers are missing at 12 hydropower projects in Nepal, and approximately 500 are believed to be trapped in several tunnels, according to authorities. More about the world More videos Some 115 people are believed to be trapped in the Trishuli 3A tunnel alone, according to the Nepal Independent Power Producers Association. Story continues below ad Nepalese Communications Minister Bikram Timilsina wrote on his Facebook page that officials “are waiting for the rescue of more and more people.” 1:39 Nepal-Tibet floods: Some hopes renewed for finding affected hydropower workers alive At least 1,287 people died in the August 26 floods, likely caused by a collapsing glacier, and more than 5,000 remain missing, according to Nepal’s disaster management agency. China said Friday that 31 people were killed and 531 were missing on the Tibet side of the border, according to China’s official Xinhua news agency. Nepal’s disaster agency estimated on Friday that the floods caused at least 387.5 billion Nepalese rupees ($2.5 billion) in damage to infrastructure and property. © 2026 The Canadian Press