2 trapped workers rescued from a hydropower tunnel 9 days after Nepal floods

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Rescuers in Nepal pulled two workers alive from a hydropower tunnel Friday, raising hopes of reaching a dozen others believed to be trapped nine days after catastrophic floods devastated towns and swept away villages.

The two men were rescued from a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A construction site.

Nepalese lawmaker Shri Ram Neupane posted about the second rescue on his Facebook page shortly after army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet confirmed the first trapped worker’s rescue. Basnet said one of the survivors told rescuers that more people were still alive inside the tunnel.

Officials identified the two men as a mechanical foreman and a mechanical supervisor.

Rescuers first heard voices from inside the tunnel Friday morning, confirming that people were alive and allowing them to locate the two men, Neupane said.

Local television news channels showed images of the first rescued worker covered in mud and being carried from the site on a rescuer’s shoulder. Officials said both men were in stable condition and were flown to a hospital in Kathmandu.

“I can’t explain what we are feeling at the moment. We are just grateful to god,” Amir Maharjan, brother to one of the rescued workers, told The Associated Press. He said the family was on its way to the hospital to see him.

At least 557 workers are missing from the Trishuli 3A hydropower project along the Trishuli River, with about 115 believed to be trapped in the tunnel, according to the Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal.

Nepal’s Communication Minister Bikram Timilsina said officials remain hopeful that more workers will be rescued.

“We are waiting for the rescue of more and more people,” Timilsina wrote on his Facebook page.

At least 1,259 people were killed in the Aug. 26 floods, likely caused by a glacier collapse, and more than 5,000 remain missing, according to the country’s disaster management agency. China said late Wednesday that 21 people were killed and 541 were missing on the Tibet side of the border.

About 900 workers are missing from 12 hydropower projects in Nepal, with roughly 500 believed to be trapped in tunnels, according to local authorities.

Saaliq reported from New Delhi.

In this photo provided by the Nepal Army, soldiers rescue a worker alive from a tunnel during an ongoing operation at the Trishuli-3A hydropower project in Nepal's Rasuwa district, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Nepal Army via AP)

In this photo provided by the Nepal Army, soldiers rescue a worker alive from a tunnel during an ongoing operation at the Trishuli-3A hydropower project in Nepal's Rasuwa district, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Nepal Army via AP)

In this photo provided by the Nepal Army, soldiers rescue a worker alive from a tunnel during an ongoing operation at the Trishuli-3A hydropower project in Nepal's Rasuwa district, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (Nepal Army via AP)

A drone view shows rescue workers inspecting damaged structures amid sludge, debris and landslides in the aftermath of flash flooding along the Trishuli River in the Devighat area of Nepal's Nuwakot district, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

A drone view shows houses damaged by flash floods surrounded by sludge, mud and debris along the swollen Trishuli River in Devighat, Nepal, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Devon Dampier threw for three touchdowns, Wayshawn Parker had the first three-touchdown game of his career and No. 21 Utah routed Idaho 66-14 coach Morgan Scalley's regular-season debut.

After 21 years at Utah, Kyle Whittingham moved to Michigan to make way for Scalley, the previous defensive coordinator who coached Utah's win over Nebraska last season in the Las Vegas Bowl.

“I just wanted our players to show what our culture is all about. It’s not, and I keep saying this, it’s not about Morgan,” Scalley said after being celebrated and doused with water by his players in the locker room.

Dampier wanted to make sure his coach felt the appreciation and support the team has in him.

“I made sure I gave him his shout-out because he’s such a loving guy,” Dampier said.

Parker ran for 71 yards had two touchdown receptions and a 21-yard TD run, where he shed several tacklers, all in the first half.

“I was just going out there being confident in my O-line and the whole team. We’ve been waiting since January and it was time to ... show what it’s going to be like this whole year,” Parker said.

Dampier, who was hampered by injuries last season, looked nimble and was accurate (13 for 18) except for some long-distance throws. He sat after the first drive of the second half — with Utah leading 38-7 — but still had 176 yards passing and 31 yards rushing while staying clean in the pocket.

“It was so much fun,” Dampier said. “Scalley's a different head coach. I wondered what it was going to be like, but he had an energy and a calmness in us to do our thing.”

Transfer wide receiver Braden Pegan dazzled with the hands and his feet — scoring on a 7-yard reception and a 12-yard end around. Backup QB Byrd Ficklin threw for 93 yards and two TDs and ran for 70 yards.

“There was a lot to love about this. We know that the quality of opponents is just going to go up from here on out. But for a first game, we wanted to be clean. We wanted to play as a team,” said Scalley whose team had just one penalty.

Idaho's Hayden Kincheloe rushed for 37 yards and a touchdown in the second quarter after Utah had taken a 17-0 lead. Joshua Wood passed for 111 yards and scrambled for a 22-yard score for the Vandals (0-2).

The game marked the most points and largest margin of victory for Utah in the 29-game series.

Idaho: As expected, Idaho struggled to move the ball and stop the bigger Utes but the Vandals engineered a stellar 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in the first half. Outside of completing 4 of 5 passes on that march, Wood was 5 of 22 with an interception.

Utah: All eyes were on the Utes' offensive and defensive lines, which were almost entirely new this season. The big guys up front may not have dominated on every play but protected the quarterbacks and opened up enough lanes for Utah to roll up 633 yards — 364 on the ground and 269 in the air. On defense, the Utes allowed just 225 yards.

Utah was expected to win handily and the Utes showed no glaring weaknesses in the blowout.

Idaho: Hosts Lamar next Saturday.

Utah: Hosts Arkansas next Saturday in the Utes' second home game against an SEC team.

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Utah wide receiver Braden Pegan, right, reaches for the ball over Idaho defensive back Khaled Rawls, left, during an NCAA college football game, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)