Nepal’s Hydropower Race Needs a Safety Rethink
Summary
Nepal’s rush to expand hydropower is raising concerns that tunnel safety and emergency preparedness are being overlooked. The Trishuli flood disaster has prompted calls for emergency exits, backup ventilation, rescue access and stricter safety rules in future projects.
Key Points
- Nepal is rapidly expanding hydropower, but the article says worker safety and emergency preparedness are not getting enough attention.
- The Trishuli flood exposed the danger of relying on a single tunnel access route and highlighted rescue difficulties when entrances are blocked.
- The author urges mandatory emergency access and evacuation plans, backup ventilation, communication systems and refuge chambers for tunnel projects.
- Future hydropower design should account for extreme rainfall, floods, landslides and climate change to avoid turning tunnels into death traps.
