Four Warnings from Bhotekoshi-Trishuli Flood Save 900 Students at Tribhuvan Trishuli School

Regular classes were underway at Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School in Nuwakot on Wednesday when the school accountant rushed in at 9:10 a.m., informing Principal Rajendra Dawadi, “Sir, a flood is coming.” Having received news of impending flooding in the Trishuli River, Dawadi did not dismiss the warning. Other teachers informed him about a massive flood in Timure.

“Shortly after, I received a call from a friend in Betrawati, about 10 kilometers upstream from Trishuli, saying the floodwaters were about to reach Betrawati and that the upper region had already been washed away,” Dawadi recounted. Acting swiftly, the school evacuated without delay. A parent also arrived urgently saying, ‘A massive flood has already hit upstream; I am here to take my daughter home.’ His urgency heightened Dawadi’s caution.

Understanding the gravity of the situation, Dawadi said, “Without a second thought, I ordered that the children should leave immediately because keeping them there would put their lives at risk.” Thanks to this quick response, all students, teachers, and staff safely evacuated the premises.

Yunisha Amatya, a grade 11 student in Nuwakot, recalled that when teachers told them to go home during the flood, she fled immediately. “We only survived by a matter of about ten seconds,” she said. Yunisha and her friends were caught in the flood’s path. Her father, Yuvraj, shared that when he went to pick up his daughter during the flood, the floodwaters halted him, and he feared losing her. After roughly an hour and a half, he was able to reconnect with Yunisha.

Yunisha was able to return home three days after the flood. Her mother, Sabina, and father, Yuvraj, are deeply grateful to the school. However, Principal Dawadi expressed concern over the school’s infrastructure, warning it threatens students’ futures. “Parents have started worrying about where to safely send their children for education,” he said. The flood destroyed the school building and bridge, casting uncertainty over the bright futures of the students.