The workers were shut inside when the ceiling caved in breaking the tunnel ribs as huge boulders hit the tunnel some 15 metres from the entry at around 1:30pm on Friday.

Twelve Nepalese and a Chinese national are among those freed, informed Kaski police chief SP Basanta Kumar Lama. They have been admitted to Regional Hospital Pokhara for medical care. They are said to be out of danger.

Those freed from the cave in are Bishal Gole, 21, Devraj Thokar, 25, Nawaraj Thokar, 19, Ganesh Thapa, 25, and Manoj Pulami, 29, of Makwanpur district. Likewise, Ramchandra BK, 32, of Kaski, Narayan Shrestha, 29, of Dhading, Umesh Kumar Rai, 21 of Bhojpur, Shiva Raj Tamang, 20, of Udaypur, Bishnu Lama, 54, of Hetauda, Sujan Bhujel, 18, and Sher Bahadur Tamang of Khotang were also freed at around 3:15 Saturday morning.

The rescued Chinese national has been identified as Younzhan Ming, 50.  

Meanwhile, excavator operator Sujan Gurung's body has been recovered while two others are still out of contact.

The hydropower project, planned to generate 25 megawatt electricity, has a joint investment of the China International Water and Electric Corporation, a subsidiary of the China Three Gorges Corporation, and the Nepali private sector. The project is worth Rs 5.28 billion.