Rescuers pulled the two men from tunnels at the Trishuli 3A hydropower plant after hearing voices, raising hopes for more survivors amid a massive search operation.

Two workers have been rescued alive from tunnels at the Trishuli 3A hydropower plant in Nepal, nine days after devastating flash floods and landslides trapped hundreds of workers inside several hydropower projects in the Himalayan region.

The two men were rescued in quick succession on Friday after rescuers heard voices coming from inside the tunnels, marking a major breakthrough in the round-the-clock operation.

Video from the site showed rescuers pulling one of the workers through a small opening in the ground as others applauded after he reached safety.

Police chief in flood-hit Nuwakot district, Bipin Regmi, confirmed that rescuers had heard voices from inside the tunnel and said a medical team was being sent to the site.

The tunnel leading to the underground powerhouse is more than four kilometres long, with dozens of workers reportedly inside when the disaster struck.

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The rescue operation had been focused on locating 42 workers reported missing at the Trishuli 3A plant. Authorities said more than 900 workers remained unaccounted for across multiple energy projects in the Himalayan region.

The missing workers include foreign nationals from China, South Korea and India.

The floods sent torrents of muddy water through communities along the Trishuli River, destroying infrastructure and killing more than 1,200 people in Nepal.

The scale of the disaster, combined with difficult mountainous terrain, has severely complicated rescue operations, while hopes of finding survivors had begun to fade as the days passed.

Indian Army Colonel Parikshit Mehra, who was involved in the rescue effort earlier in the week, said the first 48 hours are generally the most critical for people trapped underground because prolonged darkness and isolation can cause panic, disorientation and hallucinations.

However, he said the successful rescue of the two workers demonstrated that survivors could still be found despite the passage of time.

The rescue has renewed hopes that other workers still trapped or missing in the affected hydropower facilities could be found alive as emergency teams continue their search.