Nepal Teacher Received Flood Warning. What He Did Next Saved 1,643 Children
Principal Rajendra Dawadi successfully evacuated 1,643 students from a school in Nepal after receiving a warning about an incoming flash flood. While the school was destroyed, the swift action saved nearly all the children, though two staff members were lost.
Why it matters
This event underscores the importance of disaster preparedness and early warning systems in regions vulnerable to climate-related geological hazards.
Rajendra Dawadi was at school when he got a warning that a massive flood was heading towards the area. He quickly ordered the evacuation of the school and helped save 1,643 children from the deadly flash floods in Nepal's Nuwakot district.Dawadi, 47, is the principal and an English teacher at Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School in the Trishuli Valley. At around 9:20 am on Wednesday, a friend called him and warned that a nearby village had been swept away by the river. He told Dawadi to run, The Times reported.Dawadi initially thought the school was safe. The three-storey concrete building was around 60 metres above the river. But soon, a parent rushed to the school and said the water was rising quickly.He immediately rang the school bell and told the teachers to take the children out of their classrooms.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in