Even after coordinating the successful rescue of 250 workers of a hydropower plant from a devastating flash flood in Nepal, Safety Manager Govindaraj K Nair, 48, cannot find peace. While all the workers in his team made it to safety, his closest companion at the site remains missing in the debris.

"Unfortunately, my best friend, who was also my roommate, is still missing and rescue operations are currently underway to find him," said Govindaraj, a native of Kizhakkanchery.

Govindaraj joined the Upper Trishuli-1 (UT-1) hydropower project in Nepal on June 3, 2025. Located about 100 kilometres from the China border along the Trishuli River, the plant is one of 13 project sites in the area, he told Onmanorama.

Govindaraj had taken early leave and landed at Cochin International Airport on August 15 around 7 am to be with his family. "I was supposed to come to Kerala later in the month, but my wife called me home as my daughters had exams. If it was not the case, who knows whether I would have made it out alive?" he said.

On August 26, the day of Thiruvonam, a call from his company headquarters shattered his holiday with news of the disaster.

"The water rose 15 metres above the normal level," Govindaraj said. "Usually, it would take at least an hour for floodwaters to reach the camp, but this time, it took less than 10 minutes. Such was the intensity of the flooding."

"We do have a satellite-connected flood warning system linked to our phones. There are sensors placed underneath the bridges to measure the rise in water levels and send warnings. On July 8, 2025, we received a similar alert, which allowed 17 of us to successfully evacuate via emergency routes. But this time, the water rose too high and too quickly for any immediate warning,” he explained.

Their campsite was situated on one side of the river, while the worksite, where construction was 90 per cent complete and had entered the installation phase, was three kilometres away on the opposite bank. Around 7.30 am that day, the workers had left their accommodation at the camp and headed to the worksite.

"I led a team of around 250 people, and all of them were saved," Govindaraj recalled. "When my colleagues who were present at the worksite received information about the floods, they ran to the top of nearby hills to save their lives. The only reason they were able to escape was because they were at the worksite. If they had been at the camp, they would all have been washed away.

Operating through patchy mobile networks from Kerala, Govindaraj immediately coordinated the rescue effort, instructing trapped workers on the hilltops to stay where they were and remain hydrated while waiting for air support. "All roads were cut off immediately; the only way out was to be airlifted," he said. When the company’s private helicopters were initially denied clearance by Nepal's military authorities, the management worked through the Indian Embassy to secure the necessary permissions.

The rescued workers were airlifted to Kathmandu, where they underwent medical check-ups and were provided with accommodation and arrangements for their flights home. "The company has also provided them with counselling and paid leave to rest," he said.

"Unfortunately, my roommate was still at the camp when the water swept through the area. We are coordinating with authorities and hoping to find him," he said.

The project site, along with nearby villages, shops and military camps, was situated between two valleys. "It was a beautiful spot. Fresh air with a view of glaciers on hilltops. All of it has been washed away, and all that remains is hardened grey slush that feels like concrete," Govindaraj said. "Now, we can identify the location of our campsite only because of a nearby waterfall. There is nothing else left in the area except hardened slush."

Despite the successful evacuation, the ordeal has taken a toll on Govindaraj. "I keep waking up with nightmares about the incident after hours of coordination and seeing the visuals shared by people at the site," Govindaraj said, as search operations continue in the hope of finding his missing roommate.