'It stood like a serpent': American who survived deadly Nepal flood tells her story
Anjana Raja of California discussed the split second decision that she and her husband made as the 50-foot flood came towards her and her husband in Nepal.
KATHMANDU, NEPAL -- Anjana Raja, a California mom of two, had long dreamed of journeying to Nepal for spiritual reasons, specifically to Mount Kailash, since she was a teenager. Her and her husband finally fulfilled that dream this month, but were thrust into a survival situation when they encountered a deadly landslide flood near the Chinese border on Wednesday.
Raja recounted being on a bus with her husband when the driver and front passengers fled and she witnessed a wall of water mixed with mud, standing high and menacingly like a serpent before them. She immediately grabbed her sling bag and told her husband, "Run, we need to go right now," without hesitation. The couple and other passengers fled to a camp next to the bus and made their way to higher ground as the water engulfed the streets.
The couple eventually reached the third level of the camp, where they watched in horror as the water swept past them, carrying vehicles, people, and even the basecamp itself in its path. Raja expressed gratitude for the first responders' efforts to help the most vulnerable victims, noting that the rescuer treated them as just humans.
Despite the traumas she experienced, Raja said the incident has made her stronger mentally and emotionally, and she and her husband are resolved to complete their trip to Mount Kailash.
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