Kabir Maharjan spent 10 days trapped in a pitch-dark tunnel after the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli flood swept through the Upper Trishuli-3A Hydropower Project. With no food, no light and no sense of time, he survived on water seeping through the tunnel walls. After 20 days in hospital, he returned home to his family. He recounts his extraordinary ordeal in conversation with Sanjeep Ghimire of ApEx.

What do you remember about the day the flood hit?

I had arrived at the Upper Trishuli-3A Hydropower Project just a day earlier on a one-month deputation. I had previously worked there for six years, so the project was familiar to me. Maintenance work on Unit 1 was underway. I was assigned to work on Cooling Fan-1, including a major inspection and cleaning of the bearings. When we heard that a flood was coming from the Rasuwagadhi area, nobody imagined it would be that severe. Around 30 to 35 of us were working at the site. By the time the flood hit, everyone started running toward the outlet to escape.

I ran to the control room to get my mobile phone. When I looked at the CCTV footage, I saw that floodwater had already entered the outlet. Escaping through the normal route was impossible. I grabbed my colleague Sanjay Sah by the hand and pulled him with me. We left the access tunnel and moved toward the cable tunnel, which was at a slightly higher level. But the flood reached there too. The lights went out. Everything became dark.

What happened after the lights went out?

The water covered our path. The current swept us away and separated me from Sanjay. I fell down a staircase. I don’t know whether I fell four steps, eight, ten or eleven. I only remember the pain getting worse. After that, I don’t remember anything.

When did you regain consciousness?

When I woke up, the floodwater was gone. I was only in my underwear. My shoes were filled with sand and mud and had become very heavy, so I took them off. My feet were hurting, but at that point I didn’t care about the injuries. I only wanted to get out. I searched for the tunnel entrance in the darkness, but the outlet had already been buried. So I returned to the place where I had been before. 

What was your biggest concern at that point?

I thought the people who had run toward the outlet had survived, and they would come back for me. I kept waiting, but nobody came. When I was thirsty, I drank the water seeping through the tunnel walls. That water became my only source of survival.

Did you have anything to eat?

No. I survived for 10 days drinking that water. But strangely, I didn’t always feel hungry. My mind started creating its own world. I would feel as though I had reached home and was eating a Newar feast with my family. Sometimes I would suddenly realize that there was mud, wood or splinters in my mouth. I would spit them out and rinse my mouth.

Did you know how many days had passed?

No. I had no watch and there was no light. There was no day or night, no sense of dates or weekdays. I would sleep and then suddenly wake up. Sometimes I would shout for help, but nobody answered. Gradually, I started living in my dreams. I would dream that I was back home with my family. I would travel, spend time with them and enjoy myself. Then I would suddenly wake up and realize that I wasn’t home. I was still lying on the cold floor, surrounded by mud and darkness. As the days passed, I even began forgetting that I was trapped inside a tunnel.

What went through your mind while you were trapped?

I had heard that people could survive for 50 or 55 days without food. So I thought about how many days had passed. But eventually, I stopped thinking about it. I told myself, “If I survive, I survive. If I die, I die.” Still, I didn’t want to give up. I focused on protecting myself. I kept thinking about my wife, my sons and my parents. I felt that I had to survive for them. I also prayed to God many times.

Were you able to move around inside the tunnel?

Sometimes I tried to stand up, but my legs wouldn’t support me. I would drag one leg and try to move a little farther, but eventually my body would run out of energy. My whole body felt as though I had been badly beaten.

Do you remember the moment you were rescued?

I didn’t know how many days had passed. One day, while I was sleeping, I thought I heard someone speaking. Then I saw some light. But I didn’t think it was a rescue team. By then, I had experienced so many strange things that I thought this could also be another hallucination. Sometimes I felt as though I was looking at Kathmandu from Swayambhu, with all the city lights below me. So when I saw the light and heard the voices, I wondered if it was another illusion. Then I heard someone say, “We got a sound. We heard a sound.” Someone said, “There is someone shouting in there.” I gathered all the strength I had and shouted: “I am here. My name is Kabir Maharjan. Please get me out of here.” They told me, “Stay there. Don’t go anywhere. We are coming.” I don’t know how long it took them to reach me.

What happened when the rescue team finally reached you?

They carried me, put me on a stretcher and dragged me out. It was around a 100-meter journey. They gave me some juice which gave me some strength. My hands and legs were barely moving. My body was badly injured. But I knew one thing: the darkness was finally ending. They secured me to a stretcher and introduced themselves as a Nepali Army rescue team.

One of the commanders was a Newar from Bhaktapur. He told me, “Remember your family deity.” They gave me more juice. Then the commander told me, “Now don’t worry. You will survive. We will save you.” After 10 days in darkness, those words felt like the brightest thing in the world.

What did you feel when you finally came outside?

The first thing I saw was sunlight. After 10 days in darkness, my eyes couldn’t tolerate it. I closed them because the sunlight was painful. But that sunlight proved something very important. I was alive. I folded my hands and thanked the Nepali Army rescuers. I also greeted senior colleagues from the Nepal Electricity Authority whom I recognized. Everyone outside was happy to see that I was alive. The Nepali Army took me by helicopter to its hospital. When I reached the hospital, I saw my wife crying. I told her not to cry. I spent 20 days in the hospital.

When did you learn that you had been trapped for 10 days?

There is one conversation with the rescue commander that I still remember clearly. He asked me, “How many days has it been?” I said, “Two days.” He asked, “Do you know where you are?” I said, “No.” Then he told me, “You are at 3A.” That made something click in my mind. I thought, “I got trapped at 3A the day before yesterday.” Only after I came out did I learn the truth. I had actually been trapped there for 10 days.

How do you feel about the people who rescued you?

I am deeply grateful to the rescuers. They saved my life. I cannot thank them enough. But at the same time, I feel very sad after learning what happened to my colleagues, seniors and others who lost their lives or suffered losses in the disaster. My friends were working with me inside that tunnel.

Even now, when I think about them, I become emotional. I survived, and I am grateful for that. But I cannot forget the people who were there with me.