Nepal Principal Saves 1,643 Children in Flash Flood

In a heroic act of quick thinking, Nepal school principal Rajendra Dawadi saved 1,643 children on August 26, 2026, moments before a catastrophic flash flood swept through Nuwakot district and destroyed Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School. The disaster, triggered by a glacier collapse near Langtang Lirung, killed more than 900 people and left over 4,700 missing across the Trishuli River corridor.

What Happened in Nuwakot?

On the morning of August 26, 2026, a massive ice and rock avalanche near the Langtang Lirung mountain sent mud, ice, and water surging through the Trishuli river system. The resulting flash flood destroyed infrastructure along a 72 km stretch of the river, including the Gyirong checkpoint on the China–Nepal border. According to the 2026 Nepal floods timeline, authorities sent SMS emergency alerts to 679,295 residents at 9:15 am, but many areas were already overwhelmed.

Dawadi, 47, received four phone calls just after 9:00 am warning him that an enormous mudslide was heading toward his school. Almost simultaneously, a frantic parent burst into the building. “A large flood is coming. I am here to pick up my daughter,” the parent said.

How Principal Rajendra Dawadi Reacted

Dawadi did not hesitate. He rang the school bell and ordered an immediate evacuation. Hundreds of students on campus were sent into the mountains, while buses carrying roughly 700 more children were turned around and directed uphill. “A parent would never say this without good reason, so it was clear I should not waste a second,” Dawadi told the BBC. “I decided that I should not wait. If the flood did not come, the students would only miss one school day.”

Ten minutes later, water raged through the village of Nuwakot. From higher ground a few hundred metres uphill, Dawadi and his students watched the flood rush past. The school's 76-year-old, three-storey, 18-room building was washed away. Two staff members, Chulrim Lama and Santos Parihar, remain missing.

This incident echoes other school emergency evacuation stories where decisive leadership prevented mass casualties.

Student Accounts of Survival

Among the survivors was 16-year-old Yunisha Amatya, who initially did not take the warnings seriously. After repeated urging, she fled through a ladder at the back of the school. “Within moments the market was swept away before my eyes,” she said. “People were jostling each other during their escape to reach a safer place. The people who chose to flee via another route were swept away.”

Amatya's parents had no idea whether their daughter was alive. After several hours, they finally made phone contact. “My father was in tears and I could not utter a word,” she said.

Impact of the 2026 Nepal Floods

The 2026 Nepal floods killed at least 955 people, injured 1,473, and left 4,793 missing across Nepal and China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Property damage exceeded Rs 200 billion (US$1.3 billion). Floodwaters carried some victims' bodies 240 km into India. The disaster also destroyed 68 bridges and shut down 431 MW of power, about 10% of national capacity.

The cause is under investigation but is widely believed to be a glacier collapse (ice avalanche) on Langtang Lirung that generated a magnitude 5.2 tremor. Scientists link the disaster to climate change, which weakens permafrost. The event has renewed calls for improved glacial flood early warning systems in the Himalayas.

FAQ

How many children did the Nepal principal save?

Principal Rajendra Dawadi saved all 1,643 students at Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School by ordering an evacuation minutes before a flash flood hit on August 26, 2026.

What caused the 2026 Nepal floods?

The floods were triggered by a glacier collapse (ice avalanche) on Langtang Lirung, which sent mud, ice, and water surging through the Trishuli River system. Early warning systems failed because they were optimized for monsoon floods rather than glacial outbursts.

How many people died in the Nepal floods?

At least 955 people were killed, 1,473 were injured, and 4,793 remain missing across Nepal and Tibet, with damage estimated at US$1.3 billion.

Was the school destroyed?

Yes. The 76-year-old, three-storey, 18-room school building was washed away. Two staff members, Chulrim Lama and Santos Parihar, are still missing.