Principal Rajendra Dawadi is being lauded for his quick thinking and decisive action, which saved approximately 900 students from a devastating flash flood in Nepal. The flood, triggered by a glacial collapse in the Himalayas, tore through the Trishuli Valley, destroying homes, bridges, and villages.

Dawadi, the principal of Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School, received warnings of the approaching floodwaters and made the immediate decision to ring the school bell and order his students and staff to evacuate to higher ground. "I immediately decided to stop... school and get the children out," he told The Associated Press.

As Dawadi followed the students to a nearby hill, the floodwaters rose rapidly behind them. From their vantage point, they watched as the school, a place significant to Dawadi's own life and career, was submerged by a torrent of water, mud, boulders, and debris. The disaster claimed over 900 lives across Nepal and China, with more than 4,700 people still missing.

At the time of the evacuation, the Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School had 1,643 students enrolled. At least 900 were on campus that morning, while others were en route. Dawadi also contacted bus drivers to instruct them not to proceed to the school. One bus carrying students managed to turn back moments before a newly constructed bridge it had crossed collapsed, shortly followed by the adjacent old bridge.

The destruction of schools has left thousands of children in northern Nepal without classrooms, disrupting their education. According to the charity Save the Children, at least 69 schools in the region have been completely destroyed, jeopardizing the education of nearly 19,000 students.

Parents of the evacuated students expressed their gratitude to Dawadi, with many embracing him and crying with emotion. "Their parents hugged me, they cried with me. They were emotional," Dawadi recounted. Student Suvina Tamang, 14, who was evacuated safely, stated, "I will thank him when I see him" for saving her life.

Despite the recognition, Dawadi remains humble, viewing his actions as a matter of responsibility. He emphasized the need for psychological counseling for the students and stressed the importance of rebuilding schools to resume classes, even if temporary locations are required.

Two staff members who could not evacuate in time remain missing. The full extent of the damage caused by the floods is still being assessed.