Trapped Inside a Flooded Mountain for 9 Days

The exit was roughly 160 meters away. Sanjay Sah and Kabir Maharjan would not reach it for nine days. On August 26, 2026, a catastrophic flood swept through Nepal’s Upper Trishuli 3A hydropower station. Inside the mountain, two workers survived the initial surge—but water, mud and wreckage cut off their way out. This TINY EXIT documentary follows what happened inside the damaged station and the rescue effort outside: how the men found places to survive, why they could hear each other but remained separated, and why uncovering the tunnel entrance was only the beginning. Using survivors’ accounts, reporting from the scene, archival photographs and animated reconstructions, we trace the rescue that finally brought both men out on September 4—and Sanjay’s return home on September 13. CHAPTERS 0:00 An exit 160 meters away 0:31 Inside the power station 1:08 The flood arrives 1:51 Surviving inside the mountain 3:45 The rescue effort outside 5:39 Reopening the way in 6:20 A voice in the darkness 7:00 Both men rescued 7:37 Coming home VISUAL NOTE Animated diagrams and illustrative reconstructions explain reported events; they are not recordings from inside the entrapment. Layouts, dimensions and distances are approximate. Historical and regional archive images provide context and are identified on screen. ARCHIVE CREDITS Niraj Bhusal; Nepal Army; Nepal Prime Minister’s Office; Reuters; OnlineKhabar. Photographs were located through ABC News, OnlineKhabar, The Star, Internazionale and The Kathmandu Post. Exact credits and usage status are recorded in the accompanying archive register. #SurvivalStory #Nepal #TunnelRescue