The Indian tunnel rescue team, who are continuing to work alongside with Nepalese Army have made a temporary track inside the Chilime tunnel in flood-hit Rasuwa district to allow more heavy equipment to reach the affected areas, authorities said on Saturday (September 5, 2026).

The teams also dug deeper on Friday (September 4, 2026) to drain out water, which was hampering the rescue operations.

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“The Indian tunnel rescue team, working alongside the Nepali Army, dug deeper into the Chilime tunnel yesterday, draining out water. A temporary track is also being made to allow more heavy equipment to reach the tunnel, and doctors with the team held a health camp for the local community,” Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava said in a post on X on Saturday (September 5, 2026).

India has deployed specialised teams to assist Nepal following the devastating flash floods of August 26, which swept through northern and central parts of the country, killing 1,344 people, leaving thousands missing and destroying homes, roads and bridges and hydropower projects.

Expert teams from India and China are assisting Nepal’s rescue teams in tracing workers and employees who have remained unaccounted for at various hydropower project sites since the disaster, with many believed to be trapped inside tunnels.

The flash floods were believed to have been triggered by a collapse or avalanche of ice and rock near the Nepal-Tibet border. A total of 4,898 people remain missing.

The Bhotekoshi River, which flows south from the Himalayan border region, carried the floodwaters downstream, sweeping away homes, vehicles, roads and bridges and damaging hydropower projects.

At least 900 workers are missing from a dozen hydropower projects in Nepal, with about 500 believed to be inside tunnels, officials said.

The Chilime hydropower project site is located near Syabrubesi village in the Rasuwa district, which was severely affected by the devastating flash floods in Nepal on August 26.

According to a report presented by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) on Friday, the devastating flash floods have affected more than 32,000 people and damaged roads, bridges, schools and healthcare facilities.

More than ₹2.295 billion has been donated to Nepal Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund since massive flash floods wreaked havoc in the Himalayan nation.

The death toll from Wednesday’s (August 29, 2026) flash floods has surged to 626 in Nepal. It devastated towns and villages, washing away homes, vehicles, roads and bridges, and damaging hydropower projects.

Nepal flash floods LIVE updates – August 29, 2026

While nearly 2,500 people have been evacuated, more than 2,400 still remain missing, with rescue teams continuing search and relief operations.

Following the flash floods, Nepal government declared the affected areas disaster zones, prompting various organisations and individuals to donate to the fund.

It received ₹1.91 billion within 36 hours from Wednesday afternoon (August 26, 2026) to Thursday midnight, while assistance worth ₹385.5 million was donated on Friday (August 28, 2026) alone, according to sources at the Prime Minister’s Office.

With the latest contributions, the fund’s balance has risen to ₹4.09 billion from ₹2.17 billion.

The government has designated the Ministry of Finance as the focal ministry for collecting contributions to the fund and coordinating assistance. The Ministry of Finance said the deposits were made to accounts held at 10 different commercial banks.

Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle has been personally accepting contributions of ₹10 million or more from institutional donors, according to the minister’s secretariat. It added that individual donors can provide cash contributions by visiting the Ministry in person.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah and members of his Cabinet will also donate a month’s salary to the disaster relief fund. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting on Friday (August 28, 2026).