Flood destroys historic Nepal school; officials seek higher-ground rebuilding with Indian aid
A flash flood swept away the 76-year-old Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School in Nuwakot, Nepal, prompting the principal to call for rapid resumption of classes on safer, elevated ground.
When floodwaters surged through Trishuli Bazaar, principal Rajendra Dawadi ordered the evacuation of about 900 students and staff from Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School, saving everyone inside the campus. The deluge destroyed the school’s 76-year-old facilities, wiping out an 18-room, three-storey block that had been constructed with support from the Embassy of India after the 2015 earthquake, leaving only two buses behind.
Two employees are still unaccounted for. Dawadi, teachers and pupils agree that classes must restart quickly, but the rebuilt school must be situated on higher ground to avoid future danger. He is seeking temporary learning spaces such as rented rooms or municipal facilities, while emphasizing the need for improved connectivity across the river, possibly via a Bailey bridge. The principal also expressed hope that the Indian government, which has previously assisted the school, will again provide aid for reconstruction on safer terrain.
Why it matters
The disaster displaces thousands of students and highlights the need for resilient school infrastructure in flood-prone regions.
How this story developed
- Aug 26 Flash flood devastates Himalayan villages, killing at least eight in Nepal and sparking cross-border rescue efforts
- Aug 27 Reports list at least 270 deaths in Nepal and three in Tibet, with about 90 Americans missing.
- Aug 27 The US Department of State said 90 Americans were unaccounted for in China and Nepal and it was not aware of any US deaths.
- Aug 28 Families of 39 Australians still missing after deadly floods in Nepal and Tibet are pleading for any information as a communications blackout hampers contact.
- Aug 28 Authorities warned that the debris‑clogged river and rising water in a blocked lake could cause additional flooding downstream.
- Aug 28 Rescue operations were halted for roughly one and a half hours after the lake began to overflow.
- Aug 28 A landslide-created lake on the China-Nepal border is overflowing, prompting emergency actions as the disaster has killed at least 543 people and left 1,535 missing.
- Aug 28 Death toll reported to have risen above 500 and missing persons count listed at about 977.
- Aug 29 Death‑toll estimates rose to at least 579 with about 1,400 people still missing.
- Aug 29 A temporary dam created by the landslide threatens to burst, risking additional flooding.
- Aug 29 Pilgrims who completed the Kailash Mansarovar circuit left on August 16 and avoided being trapped by flash floods that later devastated parts of Nepal.
- Aug 30 The Nepalese disaster agency sent phone alerts to residents of the most affected districts.
- Aug 30 Fresh flood alerts were issued as water levels in the Bhotekoshi River increased.
- Aug 30 The U.S. State Department confirmed three American rescues and reported no known American deaths.
In this story
Related stories
13 in this thread