A Nepali headteacher evacuated 900 children from Tribhuvan Trishuli secondary school in Nuwakot moments before a glacial collapse unleashed a catastrophic wall of water and debris during flash floods that have killed nearly 800 people across the region.
The disaster struck the Nepal-Tibet border region of the Himalayas on Wednesday morning, triggered by a glacial collapse that sent a massive surge of water downstream according to the US Geological Survey.
The Race Against Time at Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School
At Tribhuvan Trishuli secondary school in the Nuwakot district, headteacher Rajendra Dawadi was working on Wednesday morning when he received urgent warnings from upstream as the disaster unfolded. Dawadi received four separate warnings within minutes, including a crucial alert from the town of Betrawati directly upstream and a phone call from a parent stating that the water was rising fast.
Unsure whether the floodwaters would directly strike the school grounds, Dawadi chose to act without hesitation, ringing the school bell and ordering an immediate evacuation to higher ground before the catastrophic floodwaves reached the site. About 900 students were on the early shift at the time, while another 700 pupils were making their way toward the building on foot or by bus.
“I decided I shouldn’t delay any more. Even if the flood was not coming, it was just a matter of a single day’s classes.”
Rajendra Dawadi, headteacher of Tribhuvan Trishuli secondary school, via BBC
Dawadi also managed to contact the drivers of approaching school buses carrying hundreds of students to warn them in time. When one bus approached the bridge just as water poured into the school grounds, Dawadi instructed the driver to turn around just as the bridge collapsed.
Seconds From Disaster: Student Accounts of the Evacuation
As pupils ran uphill along muddy paths behind the school, they witnessed the rapid destruction of their surroundings. A hostel building located about 100 meters from the river was engulfed by the rushing flood water.
“I, along with my friends, survived by just 10 seconds.”
Yunisha, 16-year-old student at Tribhuvan Trishuli secondary school, via BBC
The student described watching the local bazaar be swept away in front of her eyes while scrambling to safety. She was eventually reunited with her family three days later after being airlifted back to her home village alongside the headteacher since roads were entirely cut off.
In Dhading, another heavily impacted district, students survived because they happened to be out of their classrooms for a lunch break, or because teachers ordered immediate evacuations before the waters crashed in. Parents returning to the area found thick brown and gray mud coating school benches, walls, and small backpacks left behind on the floors while water lines marked the walls.
Widespread Devastation Across Educational Institutions
The destruction of educational infrastructure extends far beyond a single town. According to data from the nonprofit charity Save the Children, at least 69 schools have been destroyed or damaged in Nepal’s flood-devastated districts, placing the education of nearly 19,000 children at risk.
In response to the disaster, the government ordered all schools and universities to close for three days while pausing university exams amid torrential rains and ongoing flood warnings. Rescue teams have saved more than 3,700 people across the country as communities continue to monitor threats.
Uncertain Futures for Surviving Students
While families celebrate surviving children, students face profound uncertainty regarding their education. Families remain focused on the immediate relief efforts while rescue workers reach isolated areas, but students like Yunisha voice anxiety about their academic future following the loss of their school buildings.
With entire villages destroyed and hundreds of foreign nationals still unaccounted for, authorities indicate that recovery and reopening timelines remain entirely unclear.
