Nepal Principal’s Heroic Evacuation Saves 900 Students from Deadly Floods
POLICY WIRE — Bidur, Nepal — Rajendra Dawadi, the principal of Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School, made a split-second decision that saved the lives of at least 900 students. As floodwaters surged...
POLICY WIRE — Bidur, Nepal — Rajendra Dawadi, the principal of Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School, made a split-second decision that saved the lives of at least 900 students. As floodwaters surged through Nepal’s Trishuli Valley, Dawadi ordered an immediate evacuation.
The warning came swiftly. A colleague alerted Dawadi that floodwaters were rapidly approaching, destroying homes, bridges, and villages. Without hesitation, Dawadi rang the school bell and directed students and staff to higher ground.
I immediately decided to halt school activities and get the children out, Dawadi recounted to The Associated Press. As he led the students to safety, the floodwaters rose behind him. From a nearby hill, he watched as the school, where he had both studied and taught, vanished under a torrent of water, mud, boulders, and debris.
Two staff members remain unaccounted for following the disaster. Dawadi’s quick actions prevented a greater tragedy. The flash floods, triggered by a glacial collapse in the Himalayas, claimed over 900 lives across Nepal and China, with more than 4,700 people still missing.
Dawadi’s school, which enrolled 1,643 students, saw at least 900 on campus that morning. He not only evacuated those present but also contacted bus drivers to prevent them from arriving. One bus, already at the school, was directed to turn back just before an old bridge collapsed.
The destruction hit Dawadi personally. I have no words. I received my education there and also gave education there, he said. The floods have devastated northern Nepal, destroying at least 69 schools and impacting nearly 19,000 students, according to Save the Children.
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Parents have hailed Dawadi as a hero, embracing and thanking him for saving their children. Student Suvina Tamang, 14, whose building was swept away shortly after evacuation, expressed her gratitude. I will thank him when I see him for saving my life, she said.
Despite the accolades, Dawadi remains humble, viewing the rescue as his duty. He now calls for psychological counseling for students and urges the Nepalese government to rebuild schools and resume classes.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
