Nepal steps up rescue effort to reach hundreds trapped in tunnels

CHITWAN, Nepal, Aug 30 – Nepal’s military airlifted heavy machinery by helicopter on Sunday to an under-construction dam high in the Himalayas as rescuers battled rising waters to reach workers in a tunnel, four days after catastrophic floods trapped them inside. The torrent of ice, rock and debris that swept down a mountain valley on the China-Nepal border on Wednesday killed more than 780 people, left more than 3,000 missing, knocked out about 10% of Nepal’s power generation capacity and inundated several hydropower projects under construction. Rescue operations are underway at five hydroelectric projects, including a major effort at the…