Headteacher Evacuates 900 Pupils Moments Before Glacier Flood Buries School
Nepal floods claim hundreds of lives and leave thousands missing as international aid efforts begin.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Callum Smith
A Nepalese headteacher evacuated 900 pupils just before devastating floods struck his school.
Rajendra Dawadi, headteacher of Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School in Nuwakot, Nepal, successfully moved all students to safety as the glacier collapse triggered widespread flooding.
The school building itself was subsequently buried under mud and debris; it reportedly destroyed homes, schools, and businesses, forcing thousands of residents to flee.
The floods have claimed at least 794 lives across Nepal and left at least 2,426 people missing.
A parent approached Dawadi, stating, 'a big flood was coming, I am here to take my daughter, I will take her.' Dawadi claims this urgent warning confirmed his decision to evacuate without delay, noting that 'parents don't rush without a strong reason.'
parents don't rush without a strong reason.
Yunisha Amatya, 16, a pupil, and her friends reportedly escaped the floodwaters; Yunisha and her family reunited three days later.
Dawadi recounted the narrow escape, stating, "It got to the other side just as the bridge collapsed." He further detailed the evacuation, explaining, "One girl had a panic attack, so we put her on the back of a motorbike. The rest I sent uphill on foot, then followed."
The school was located 200 feet above the Trishuli river in the Trishuli valley of north-central Nepal.
Chinese authorities have reported 16 deaths and 546 missing on their side of the border, while 33 British nationals are believed to be among those missing.
A social history teacher, Santos Pariyar, was reportedly among those who died in the floods.
The government ordered schools and universities to shut down for three days, with university exams also paused; the Nepali districts of Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, and Chitwan have been kept under high alert.
At least 69 schools have been destroyed or damaged, affecting nearly 19,000 children.
Destroyed bridges and damaged roads have hampered rescue efforts.
Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced his country will send a disaster search-and-rescue team to Nepal and pledged $1 million in financial aid.
A British response team reportedly arrived in Nepal on Saturday, joining international efforts.
Overall, 2,502 people, including 592 foreigners, are understood to be out of contact following the disaster.