Engineer Pemba Dundu Tamang reported that a sudden gust of wind preceded water that entered the tunnel and chased him uphill for about 20 minutes during flash floods that killed more than 1,000 people and left thousands missing in central Nepal. The floods occurred last week in the Nuwakot district, where heavy rain caused the Trishuli River to overflow and inundate low‑lying areas. Nepal relies on hydropower for about 99% of its electricity, and Tamang’s team was building the Upper Trishuli 3B Hydropower Project, which was scheduled to open next year. Tamang said the water surge entered the tunnel while his crew was working on the concrete lining, forcing them to flee toward higher ground. He added that his mother, elder brother, sister‑in‑law and three children died, while his wife, son and nephew survived. Colleague Itha Ghale described a powerful gust that nearly knocked the workers off their feet as they sprinted away from the tunnel entrance. Rescue workers have extracted 119 individuals, including 50 to 60 workers who escaped the tunnel, according to Nepal Army spokesman Raja Ram Basnet. The army continues to deploy excavators and other heavy equipment to reach workers trapped at several hydropower sites. Experts from the Asian Mountain Academic Alliance, the Stimson Centre and China’s Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment said satellite imagery showed accelerating glacier movement, brown meltwater and a developing rock crack in the days preceding the flood, indicating increasing instability. They noted that the avalanche moved too quickly for conventional warnings, but a comprehensive early warning system could have saved lives downstream. Authorities from China, India and Nepal are coordinating rescue operations and evaluating the stability of remaining structures. Tamang said surviving felt miserable and he did not know where to go, expressing concern that disruption of hydropower activities could affect electricity supply and livelihoods, and called for improved safety measures. The death toll has risen above 1,000, with officials estimating about 4,000 people remain missing. Rescue efforts are ongoing, and officials are reviewing warning protocols and infrastructure safety as the region recovers from the disaster.