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In a harrowing turn of events, a head teacher in Nepal's Nuwakot district has been hailed a hero after he successfully evacuated 900 students from Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School just 10 minutes before a devastating flood struck. The swift action taken by Rajendra Dawadi, the school's principal, has been credited with saving the lives of the students and staff.
Dawadi recounted the dramatic events to the BBC, explaining that he received four separate calls at 09:10 local time (03:25 GMT) warning of the impending disaster. The warnings, which came from four different individuals within minutes of each other, gave him the critical information needed to make a quick decision.
One of the calls was from a parent who urgently requested to take her daughter from the school. Recognizing the urgency in the parent's voice, Dawadi knew that he had to act without delay. He promptly ordered the children to run to higher ground and dispatched buses full of students to turn around and flee the area.
Describing the situation, Dawadi said, "If we didn't make a quick decision, if it was 10 minutes later, we all – including the students and me – wouldn't be able to speak to you today." His decisive action, he added, filled him with pride, knowing that they had saved so many lives.
The flood, which has now claimed at least 794 lives, caused widespread destruction in parts of Nepal. Among the hardest-hit areas was the school building at Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School, which was buried under mud and debris. The rapidity with which the waters arrived was astonishing; a hostel building just 100 meters (328 feet) from the river was engulfed immediately.
Yunisha Amatya, a 16-year-old student at the school, recounted the chaos leading up to the evacuation. She said that initially, many students were unaware of the severity of the situation. It was only after teachers informed them of the flood that they began to understand the gravity of the danger.
Yunisha and her friends managed to escape with just moments to spare. They scrambled uphill through an escape route behind the school, helped by teachers and classmates. She described the narrow ladder they used to escape and the terrifying sight of the local market being swept away in front of her eyes.
The evacuation was not without its challenges. With roads cut off and transport disrupted, many students and staff remained stranded for two nights before rescue efforts reached them. The principal and Yunisha, who both live across the river from the school, were eventually airlifted back to their home village.
Meanwhile, parents were desperately trying to contact their children and relatives. Yunisha's mother, Sabina Kumari Shrestha, recounted her anxiety as she repeatedly tried to call her daughter and husband without success. Her husband, Yubaraj Amatya, rushed to the school after hearing the flood news and was relieved to finally receive a call from Yunisha.
Yunisha, who is now back home, is now worried about her future studies. She expressed concerns about how the flood might impact her education, noting, "If I had to change my school, it would be difficult."
The flood's impact has been immense, with at least 2,426 people reported missing. The school, which is now a symbol of survival in the face of disaster, stands as a testament to the bravery and quick thinking of Dawadi and his staff.
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