Nine days after a flash flood tore through the Trishuli river corridor in central Nepal, rescuers on Friday pulled two men alive from a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project, raising hopes that others could still be trapped inside.

The men are identified as Sanjay Sah, a mechanical foreman, and Kabir Maharjan, a mechanical supervisor, according to Shri Ram Neupane, a lawmaker from the Rastriya Swatantra Party and an engineer who has been involved in the search operation since the flood struck on August 26.

Both men were airlifted to Kathmandu. Army officials said Sah will be treated at Birendra Army Hospital in Chhauni, while Maharjan will be taken to the National Trauma Centre.

Sah was rescued earlier on Friday, followed by Maharjan, according to the latest information received from the rescue operation.

Neupane said rescuers had received information that other people could still be inside the tunnel and were continuing to search for them.

The rescue followed an earlier breakthrough in which rescuers heard voices from inside the tunnel and established communication with people believed to be trapped there.

The Nepali Army and Armed Police Force intensified efforts to reach them after the voices were heard.

“The rescue team called out, ‘Don’t panic, we are here to rescue you,’ and received a response from inside saying, ‘Okay,’” Neupane said.

He later said rescuers had confirmed that more than one person was inside the tunnel.

The flash flood on August 26 swept through the Trishuli river valley, killing 1,252 people and damaging hydropower projects and key road links. Search teams have since been working in difficult conditions to locate people who may have been trapped inside tunnels and other structures.