International tunnel and underground infrastructure expert Professor Arnold Dix has described the devastating floods in the Bhotekoshi region and the resulting damage to tunnels and other structures of hydropower projects as an extremely unusual disaster, rarely seen anywhere in the world.
Dix, who is providing technical assistance in the search and rescue operation for people trapped or missing inside tunnels of hydropower projects affected by the floods in the Bhotekoshi–Trishuli region, briefed Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha on the latest situation on Wednesday.
Speaking to journalists afterward, Dix said the nature of the disaster and the challenges facing rescue teams were extraordinary.
“In my experience, disasters of this kind are extremely rare in the world. This may possibly be the first such event,” he said.
According to Dix, the floods have affected an area stretching approximately 72 kilometres. In some locations, there were virtually no immediate rescue options other than aerial operations. Extremely narrow gorges, damaged roads and bridges, and terrain where even helicopters cannot land have forced rescue teams to operate under considerable risk, he said.
“We were in a situation where we had to carry out rescues from places where even helicopters could not land. The gorges are extremely narrow. This is very difficult terrain even for rescuers,” Dix said.
He said this was not a time to assign blame and praised the coordination demonstrated by the Nepali authorities during the rescue operation. The Government of Nepal and the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation have played a highly coordinated role in the rescue efforts, he said.
“There is no situation, and this is not the time, to blame anyone. I see no fault on the part of Nepal for this disaster,” he said.
Dix cautioned against concluding that there was no possibility of finding survivors simply because the destruction visible on the surface was extensive. He said underground tunnels and other structures of the hydropower projects remain intact in some areas and that the search for potentially surviving people must therefore continue.
He said he had been studying the engineering designs and tunnel structures of Nepal’s hydropower projects. In the initial phase following the disaster, he examined available designs, maps and other technical information to identify possible routes for rescue operations.
“I have studied the engineering designs of the hydropower projects and tunnels. When the disaster occurred, the first thing I did was examine the available designs and technical data,” he said.
Dix said accidents and rescue operations inside tunnels do not normally receive much public attention. However, he became internationally known following the successful rescue of 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand, India, in 2023. The workers were rescued safely after 17 days.
Dix played a key technical role in the Silkyara rescue operation and had already spent many years working in the fields of underground infrastructure and tunnel safety.
Highlighting the solidarity of the international community with the ongoing rescue efforts in Nepal, Dix said he wanted to send a message to disaster-affected Nepalis that they were not alone.
“In the local church in my own village, prayer meetings are being held specifically for Nepal. My organisation, the International Tunnelling Association, is also expressing its respect and support. Right now, the whole world’s heart is hurting with you,” he said.
He added: “The world understands that you have done nothing wrong. This is a naturally occurring disaster. My message to the people of Nepal is that you are not alone. We are here to help you.”
Dix said the damage caused by the floods to hydropower infrastructure should not be viewed merely as the destruction of physical assets. Hydropower is closely linked to Nepal’s national development, energy security and sovereignty, he said, and the destruction in the sector must therefore be considered from a broader perspective.
“This is not only a human tragedy; it is also an intellectual and national loss. Hydropower is extremely important to Nepal’s national identity, sovereignty and independence,” he said.
He also stressed the need to incorporate rescue and safety systems into hydropower projects from the design stage itself in order to reduce damage from extraordinary disasters in the future.
Dix made clear that it would not be appropriate to blame the designs of hydropower projects solely on the basis of the current disaster. Since the event was of a nature that had not previously been witnessed anywhere in the world, he said designs developed on the basis of the knowledge and risk assessments available at the time should not be declared wrong simply because of what has happened now.
“If someone wants to say that the designs of these hydropower projects were wrong, that would be a completely wrong conclusion. We had never seen an event like this in the history of the world. Based on what we knew until two weeks ago, the designs there were appropriate. Now the circumstances have changed,” he said.
According to Dix, the current rescue campaign is fundamentally different from a conventional tunnel rescue operation. One of the biggest challenges is transporting the heavy equipment and skilled personnel required for rescue operations to the disaster sites.
The floods have severely damaged roads and bridges, making it difficult to transport equipment. Helicopters are also unable to carry some of the large machinery required for the operation, he said.
“We know what equipment we need, but that equipment does not fit inside helicopters. That is why work is currently under way to build roads. Only after roads reach the sites can we transport the large machines,” he said.
Some of the heavy equipment weighs as much as five tonnes, according to Dix. Since it is not immediately possible to transport such equipment, authorities and rescue teams are also exploring alternatives such as cable bridges and ropeways to gain access to the opposite side of affected areas.
He said everyone involved in the rescue operation was working around the clock despite being under immense pressure. He also said the Nepali side had responded positively to requests for technical assistance and coordination.
Dix described the current situation as a disaster unlike anything he had previously witnessed.
“I have never seen anything like this before,” he said.
According to him, the destruction of roads, bridges, communications and access infrastructure has itself become a major obstacle, making it extremely difficult to bring the personnel, equipment and machinery required for rescue operations to the affected sites.
“Even if thousands of people are ready to work, they cannot be brought to the disaster sites. And even if they reach there, there is nowhere for them to stay. There are also problems transporting equipment. That is why this is not a normal rescue operation,” he said.
Despite the difficult terrain, continuing risks and limited access, Dix said the efforts being made by Nepali and international teams were significant. He stressed that the search for potentially surviving people should continue until every possible avenue has been exhausted.
