With the recovery of two more bodies, the toll in an accident at an under-construction tunnel of a major China-assisted hydro-power project in western Nepal rose to three today.
Bodies of two of the three workers who were until now unaccounted for were recovered this afternoon while another was recovered last evening, according to police.
Sixteen workers, including a Chinese technician, were trapped by a landslide inside the Upper Madi hydro-power tunnel near Pokhara on Friday. Twelve Nepalese nationals and the Chinese technician were rescued by Nepal Army and Nepal police personnel yesterday.
The two bodies would be ferried to Pokhara.
The labourers were working inside the tunnel when its ceiling suddenly caved in and blocked its entrance.
Rescue officials had created a duct to supply water and food to the trapped persons.
"I thought I would die inside the tunnel. We stayed there remembering family and friends. There was a glimmer of hope as we could communicate with the people outside," said Manoj Pulami, 23, after he was rescued.
The rescued labourers were admitted to a hospital for examination and their condition is said to be stable.
Three excavators and 150 security personnel were mobilised for the rescue operation.
"We have also dug out the excavator machine buried under the earth," said Bastola.
The hydro-power project, the first build-operate-transfer hydro-power project invested by a Chinese firm in Nepal, would generate 25 MW of power in the energy-starved country.
