Survivors Rescued 10 Days After Nepal's Devastating Floods
A 64-year-old woman and a Chinese worker were rescued alive from flood-affected areas in Nepal, ten days after catastrophic flooding.
Chandika Kumari Shrestha was found semi-conscious under debris in Nuwakot.
Luhaitao, a Chinese worker, was rescued from a hydropower project tunnel in Rasuwa.
The floods have left only five of approximately 300 homes standing in Betrawati.
In a remarkable turn of events, two individuals were rescued alive from separate locations in Nepal on Saturday, ten days following the devastating floods caused by the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli river. Chandika Kumari Shrestha, aged 64, was discovered semi-conscious on the upper floor of a four-storey building buried under rubble in Betrawati, Nuwakot district. Her family had nearly lost hope and had begun symbolic funeral rites in Kathmandu, believing she was lost.
In another rescue operation in Rasuwa, a Chinese worker named Luhaitao was pulled from the Audit 4 tunnel of the Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower project. He was located approximately 225 meters inside the tunnel. The Nepal police reported that a nine-member team, led by Inspector Suman Kumar BK, successfully rescued Chandika from the debris of her home, which belonged to Anand Shrestha. She was initially transported by helicopter to the Nepal Army's Maithili Barracks in Trishuli Bazaar for immediate medical attention before being transferred to Birendra Military Hospital in Kathmandu.
Chandika suffered injuries on her feet and her son, Ashish Shrestha, recounted the loss of their family home, which was swept away by the flood. He stated that only his parents were present at the time of the disaster, and his father remains missing. The family faced significant challenges in reaching the site of their home, which had been displaced and lodged near the Trishuli riverbank, as the area had transformed into a treacherous swamp filled with mud and debris.
Relatives had searched for Chandika for several days, but after eight days without success, they began to prepare for her funeral. Rameshman Shrestha, a family member, expressed the family's despair, stating that they had given up hope of finding her alive. Just as the last rites were being conducted, they received the news of her miraculous survival.
In Rasuwa, Luhaitao's rescue was conducted by a collaborative team of Nepal Army personnel and South Korean experts. He was also taken to Birendra Military Hospital, where representatives from the Chinese embassy later checked on his condition. Videos from the rescue site captured the moment rescuers sought to confirm his identity. Search operations in the Upper Trishuli-1 area continue as the community grapples with the aftermath of the floods, which have devastated Betrawati, leaving only five of the approximately 300 homes intact.
