Head teacher evacuated 900 children minutes before Nepal floods hit school

What the report says

Rajendra Dawadi, headteacher of Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School in Nuwakot district, Nepal, says he helped save about 900 pupils by ordering an immediate evacuation after receiving several warning calls shortly before floodwaters arrived. According to BBC World News, Dawadi received four calls around 09:10 local time and chose to send students to higher ground and turn buses around as the danger became clear. He said the flood reached the school about 10 minutes later.

The BBC reported that the school was later buried in mud and debris as part of deadly floods that have killed at least 794 people and left 2,426 missing across Nepal and Tibet. Dawadi said warnings from parents and others convinced him not to delay, and he believes quicker action prevented a far worse outcome. He also said stronger alert systems, such as sirens and evacuation notices, might have helped people respond sooner.

Students described fleeing through narrow exits and uphill routes as the nearby bazaar was swept away. One 16-year-old pupil, Yunisha Amatya, said she escaped with friends only moments before the flood hit. Some students and staff were stranded for two nights because roads and transport links were cut, and several people were later airlifted from the area. The account highlights the importance of local warning chains and rapid decision-making during fast-moving disasters.