A school principal in Nepal evacuated nearly 900 students to higher ground just minutes before flash floods destroyed the facility, preventing a potential tragedy along the Nepal-Tibet border.
A headmaster's rapid response to flood warnings has been credited with saving approximately 900 schoolchildren from deadly flash floods that struck Nepal this week. Rajendra Dawadi, who received advance notice of incoming waters, immediately moved students to higher ground, according to reporting by the BBC. One pupil described the narrow escape, recounting that she and her classmates survived by merely ten seconds before a nearby marketplace was engulfed by the surging water.
The flooding on Wednesday resulted in catastrophic losses across the region. According to local officials, at least 794 people have been confirmed dead in Nepal, with more than 2,500 others reported missing. The disaster extended beyond Nepal's borders, with Chinese state media reporting 16 deaths in Tibet and 546 people unaccounted for in that region.
The incident underscores both the destructive power of flash floods in mountainous terrain and the critical importance of emergency preparedness. Dawadi's decision to act on the flood alert demonstrates how timely warning systems and decisive leadership can prevent mass casualties, particularly in situations involving vulnerable populations such as schoolchildren.
