&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Maps, last phone locations, expert help: How a WhatsApp group is guiding Nepal rescuers. Know here")
A WhatsApp group created by engineers shortly before disaster struck Nepal’s Trishuli valley has emerged as an unlikely lifeline for rescuers trying to navigate tunnels buried under tonnes of mud, rocks and debris.
The group, which reportedly has more than 500 members, includes engineers, former hydropower employees, government officials and other experts who are sharing technical information to aid the search operation, according to a Reuters report.
The August 26 disaster sent a massive wall of water, mud and rocks through the valley after a glacial and mountain collapse near the Nepal-China (Tibet) border. At least 1,287 people have died, according to official records, while nearly 4,000 remain missing.
Also read: ‘Don’t consider any unfamiliar fish fit for consumption’: Bihar govt urges people amid Nepal floods
As search teams race against time to locate survivors and recover bodies, the group is providing rescuers with information about hydropower projects buried beneath the debris. Last week, while rescuers were searching the remains of the Chilime hydropower plant in the Himalayan valley near the Chinese border, a government official sought help from the group.
“Can you send me Chilime layout drawings,” the official wrote. Minutes later, a member shared drawings of the plant’s powerhouse along with details of its access tunnels, Reuters reported.
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How the WhatsApp group is helping rescuers
The group has effectively become a real-time support network, with rescuers turning to engineers when they encounter problems at damaged hydropower sites. Members are sharing tunnel maps and technical drawings showing where access routes lead, the location of chambers and how different sections of the plants are connected.
Former employees of the hydropower projects are also providing information based on their experience inside the facilities. Their knowledge can be particularly useful as floodwaters, mud and debris have altered or blocked familiar routes.
The network is also helping authorities track missing workers. Members share names and mobile numbers with officials, who can then pass the information to telecom authorities. The workers’ last recorded mobile phone locations could provide clues about where they were when the disaster struck, potentially helping rescuers narrow their search areas.
