Tessa Wong
Asia Digital Reporter

Image source, EPA/Shutterstock

Tunnelling expert Arnold Dix, who has been advising the Nepalese government on how to conduct the rescue, tells me rescuers have tunnelled through 60m of the tunnel, with another 150m to go.

At the end of the tunnel is what he calls the "Goldilocks zone" which would be "more friendly to life".

This is where they hope to find more of the survivors - nearly 40 people are still thought to be trapped in the tunnel.

The "Goldilocks zone" is the uppermost level of the hydropower station where there is some space where survivors may be located.

"We got two people out. If we were playing at a casino, some might say it's time to walk away, but we say game on, time to take on the house," Dix tells me.

You can read more in Tessa Wong's report here.

We can now bring you some more pictures that were shared online by the office of Nepal's prime minister.

They show rescue crews clambering through a dark tunnel to rescue Sanjaya Shah and Kabir Maharjan, who pulled alive from the Trishuli 3A hydropower site.

Image source, Prime Minister's Secretariat

Image source, Prime Minister's Secretariat

Image source, Nepal Army Handout

Last week's floodwaters washed away a lot of heavy machinery, making it harder for rescuers to unblock tunnels, says a representative for Nepalese power companies.

Uttam Bhlon Lama, vice president at Independent Power Producers of Nepal, tells BBC Newsday that Friday's rescue of two men is "good news" that will "motivate the rescuers to do more".

"The flood level is still very high," Lama adds.

"There could be...other levels of floods so that is why everything is getting delayed."

This morning, Nepalese authorities warned that rainfall may cause additional flooding in the region surrounding the tunnels.

Image source, Reuters

Nepal's army has updated reporters on the latest rescue efforts after two hydropower workers were pulled alive from a tunnel.

Col Jhabindra Reshmi says in total, his teams have have rescued more than 400 Nepali nationals and 270 foreign citizens following the flash flooding on 26 August.

He says troops have been deployed in seven tunnels in the valley and ground troops are in place in 19 other areas.

Col Resmi confirms that efforts continue to reach more workers from the tunnel at Trishuli 3A where two men were pulled alive earlier. Those two survivors have been taken to hospital.

He says mud and rocks have made entering tunnels difficult and rescuers are having to dig access holes to get underground.

We have some new aerial images through of the rescue efforts at the Trishuli 3A hydropower tunnel.

Dozens of people dressed in hi-vis can be seen around diggers and helicopters at the site.

Image source, EPA

Image source, EPA

Binita Dahal
BBC Nepali Service

After two people were rescued alive from the Trishuli 3A site, the body of a third person has been found.

Suresh Raut, a deputy manager at the Nepal Electricity Authority who was at the scene, says the condition of the body made identification difficult.

“The body found inside the tunnel is swollen and could not be identified," he tells the BBC.

"It appears that the person died after being caught in floodwater while trying to flee from the tunnel.”

Authorities have said they hope at least 39 others could be rescued from the tunnel.

Earlier, the BBC spoke to workers at the hydropower plant about the moment the flash flood hit.

Pemba Dundu Tamang, whose team of about 30 was constructing one tunnel's concrete lining, says it started with a sudden, strong gust of air.

The blast sent plywood flying and dislodged heavy machinery. Just outside, houses had already been swept away.

"I ran towards the tunnel entrance," Tamang says. "The water was chasing behind me and I was running ahead of it."

He says he ran for about 20 minutes to flee the violent deluge, which followed him uphill.

"I was almost unconscious with shock. I could not think clearly."

Nepal's disaster agency says that 1,287 bodies have been recovered so far while an estimated 5,083 remain missing.

That's an increase on the earlier update from the country's police service, which said there were 1,280 dead and 4,798 missing.

Binita Dahal
BBC Nepali Service

Rescue efforts are ongoing as teams work to get further into the tunnel in a bid to rescue more survivors.

Suresh Raut, a deputy manager for Nepal Electricity Authority, says in a new statement that oxygen continues to be pumped into the Trishuli 3A tunnel through a compressor.

Raut adds that after being rescued, Kabir and Sanjay "appeared exhausted but they were happy".

"Kabir had joined both hands and did Namaste," he continues.

"Kabir had injuries in his knee and waist. He may have been injured while trying to come out."

BBC South Asia correspondent Azadeh Moshiri travelled near one of the tunnel sites earlier this week.

This video shows the challenges rescues have had, including finding safe places to land, and navigating the flooded tunnel.

Tessa Wong
Asia Digital Reporter, in Singapore

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

I've just spoken to Arnold Dix, the president of the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association, who has been advising the Nepalese government on how to conduct the rescue.

"I've never known a rescue operation where you had to look for an entrance of a tunnel that was previously up the hill, that was now underground," he tells me.

"You can imagine the enormity of the avalanche, it completely buried the entrance."

Using satellite data, rescuers were able to identify a spot to dig and eventually found the entrance - the next challenge was to locate survivors.

"We didn’t know where they were, we had to make our best guess using technology," Dix says.

Rescuers worked through a tunnel blocked entirely with mud and massive rocks - some bigger than cars - and had to resort to using explosives, "which we normally never do because of the risk of blowing people up".

"Then we found these two men. It's like layer upon layer of layer of miracles."

Image source, EPA

In the area of Nepal impacted by the flash flooding, there are hydropower sites dotted along the Trishuli River.

These hydro plants have vast tunnel networks sprawling underground.

When the floodwaters pummelled through the mountains and inundated the river, they filled up many of these tunnels with mud.

Some workers were lucky enough to get out, but it is estimated more than 150 people are still trapped.

Rescue efforts have involved "blasting boulders" to dig them out, with army personnel using explosives on the hillside.

Engineers have also been pumping air into the mud-filled tunnels.

Image source, Reuters

There are now 1,301 confirmed dead and 5,339 still missing in Nepal and Tibet following the deadly flash flooding nine days ago.

That figure includes 1,280 dead and 4,798 missing in Nepal, in the latest update from the country's police service.

On the Tibet side, officials confirmed at a press conference yesterday that the death toll has increased to 21, with 541 still unaccounted for.

Hundreds of foreigners are believed to be among those missing, from at least 34 countries.

Rescue operations are taking place at half a dozen hydropower tunnels in Nepal in which more than 150 people are feared trapped.

Stephen McDonell
China correspondent

On the 10th day of this flash flood emergency, hopes had faded that any more survivors could be found - yet two workers in Nepal have been dragged to safety from a hydropower tunnel system.

It is thought that hundreds of workers may have been trapped underground after a glacier collapsed last week, triggering a powerful high-mountain surge of mud and water compared to an inland tsunami.

Earlier today rescuers say they called into one of the tunnels at the Trishuli power project and several voices responded beyond a blocked section.

They asked the workers to have patience and now army teams have not only been able to reach the trapped men but to bring them to the surface alive.

Officials in Nepal have told the BBC that they are now expecting to rescue others from the same site.

Here are the latest images of Sanjaya Shah and Kabir Maharjan being airlifted to hospital, following their rescues this morning:

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

One of the survivors rescued this morning is in a "critical" condition, according to a new statement from the Nepal prime minister's office.

"Kabir Maharjan, who was rescued second, is in a critical state and is undergoing treatment at the Army Hospital in Kathmandu," the statement says.

Sanjaya Saha will also undergo medical examinations in the same hospital, it adds.

Both have been airlifted to Kathmandu this morning.

Image source, Prime Minister's Secretariat

Rescue operations are taking place at half a dozen hydropower tunnels in which more than 150 other people are feared trapped.

The two who have been rescued so far today are from the Trishuli 3A tunnel.

Dramatic footage shows the moment that the workers were pulled to safety

Nepal's communications minister, Bikram Timilsina, says there is hope for more rescues.

In a post on Facebook, he writes: "We are waiting for more and more people to be rescued.

"A heartfelt thank you to all those who worked tirelessly day and night to rescue two people alive!

"Efforts and prayers are under way to rescue more and more survivors."

Image source, Nepal Army Handout/EPA

As we've been reporting, today's rescues come nine days after deadly flash flooding on the Nepal-Tibet border.

Scientists are still studying the exact cause, but it is believed to have been caused by a glacial collapse and climate change may have been a factor.

Moments after the seismic event, which was initially thought to have been an earthquake, a massive wall of water and debris crashed downstream, taking buildings, roads and vehicles with it - you can see the path of the water in the graphic below.

More than 1,200 have been confirmed killed and 5,000 others remain missing, with more than 150 still feared trapped in a vast network of mud-filled hyropower sites along Nepal's Trishuli River.

Nepal has developed a number of projects alongside its mountainous river system.

Engineers have been pumping air into the tunnels - while some survivors previously told the BBC of the moments water crashed into their tunnel.

Binita Dahal
BBC Nepali Service

Image source, Handout to BBC Nepali

The wife of rescued labourer Kabir Maharjan, Hirashova, tells BBC Nepali how happy she is that he's been found alive.

"I saw the photos on Facebook. I was very happy. They are bringing him to the the army hospital in Kathmandu. I am heading towards the hospital," she says.

"We couldn't properly eat or drink for 10 days. We were very scared. Now we are all happy. We are even crying."