The catastrophic flash floods in Nepal have swept away schools and caused widespread destruction across the region, even as rescue and relief operations continue in the affected areas.
In Trishuli, the lives of more than 1,600 students were at risk as floodwaters rapidly rose around their school. However, a teacher, displaying remarkable presence of mind and risking his own life, managed to evacuate all the children to safety in a desperate race against time.
While the students were successfully rescued, the force of the floodwaters eventually engulfed and swept away the school building.
Speaking to ANI, local resident Surendar Kumar described how the children's lives were saved even as the school, which had once shaped the dreams of generations of students, was reduced to rubble and mud.
Also read: WHO releases US$150 000 emergency funds to support Nepal's flood response
Narrating the incident, Kumar said, "There used to be a three-storey building here-a school. There was a temple right in front of it-a Ram temple. And this whole area was a market. In that open space in the middle-that's where the three-storey school stood. 1600 students studied there. And on the very day this happened, the teachers evacuated all the children and got them to safety. There's absolutely no sign of the school anymore; it was completely swept away. And there was a Ram temple too... Many people died here... There is no information yet on exactly how many, but the toll was high. So, everything here is gone."
Meanwhile, a specialised tunnel search and rescue team from India conducted joint operations with the Nepali Army at hydropower tunnel sites in the Chilime and Langtang areas on Sunday.
Highlighting the ongoing relief and rescue efforts, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava wrote in a post on X, "A specialised team from India for Tunnel Search & Rescue operation worked with the Nepali Army's team at hydropower tunnel sites in the Chilime and Langtang area today. The team will continue to conduct search and rescue operations in close coordination with the Nepali Army ."
