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Nepal principal saves students before flood
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Nepal principal Rajendra Dawadi evacuated 900 students before floods swept away his school.
His quick action saved lives amid a disaster killing over 950 people.
Background
A glacial collapse in the Himalayas triggered catastrophic flash floods along the Trishuli River in Nepal, killing over 950 people and leaving thousands missing. The disaster struck on a Wednesday morning, and Dawadi's school was in the path of the floodwaters.
How it unfolded
- recentlyA glacial collapse in the Himalayas caused flash floods along the Trishuli River, killing over 950 people in Nepal and Tibet.
- recentlyAt 9:20 a.m., Rajendra Dawadi received a warning call from a friend upstream, then rang the school bell and evacuated 900 students to higher ground.
- recentlyAfter the evacuation, the school building was swept away by the floodwaters; Dawadi later returned to the site and was embraced by grateful parents.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Rescue operations continue after the floods, with authorities focusing on search and rescue efforts.
- Public
- Parents hugged and cried with Dawadi, thanking him for saving their children's lives.
- Expert
- Dawadi says students will need psychological counseling after the traumatic event.
Still unverified
The exact number of students evacuated varies across reports (900 vs 1,600), with some sources including students on buses that were turned back.