Nepal Flood Survivors Recall Escape as Schools Lie in Ruins

In areas of Nepal ravaged by recent catastrophic floods, a group of schoolchildren in Dhading district survived by chance when they left their classroom for their midday meal. Teachers at the school initiated a swift evacuation of students from other classes shortly before the floodwaters engulfed the building.

"The teachers said, ‘There is a flood and you should leave bags and tiffins,’" said Lakshmi Shrestha, a mother of a student. "That’s how they managed to survive."

Families returned to the school on Sunday to assess the damage and search for belongings. The majority of the students at the school were reported to have survived the deluge. Mud coated school benches, walls, and notebooks, and the courtyard was filled with sediment. Water lines marked high on the walls indicated the rapid rise of the floodwaters. Piles of mud-caked backpacks lay on benches and the floor.

Kopila Mizar, another student's mother, expressed relief that her son was alive, even though she could not find his backpack. "My son is alive, that is my biggest happiness," she said.

According to the nonprofit Save the Children, at least 69 schools in Nepal's flood-affected districts have been destroyed or damaged, jeopardizing the education of nearly 19,000 children. This figure is expected to increase as rescue teams reach more remote areas.

The Nepalese government mandated a three-day closure of schools and universities following torrential rains that caused severe flash floods and landslides across the country. University examinations were also postponed.

With ongoing flood warnings urging communities to relocate to higher ground, the resumption of classes remains uncertain.

Nepal's disaster agency reported on Sunday that the death toll had risen to 788, with 2,502 individuals missing. Chinese authorities reported 16 deaths and 546 missing on the Chinese side of the border. Among the missing are hundreds of foreign nationals from over a dozen countries who were in the region for work, trekking, or religious pilgrimages. Chinese state media indicated on Sunday that 261 foreigners were missing in Tibet, including more than a hundred Nepalis and others from various nations.

The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content.