Nepal floods: Stranger ran past school screaming ‘Run, water’. It saved 370 kids, teachers

A headteacher, Rajendra Dawadi, saved 900 pupils from the Nepal floods by evacuating them 10 minutes before they arrived. Dawadi received multiple warnings about the disaster at 09:10 local time (03:25 GMT), and quickly decided to evacuate the children to higher ground, ordering buses to turn around. Dawadi said if they had delayed, "we all – including the students and me – wouldn’t be able to speak to you today."

The floods destroyed parts of Nepal, claiming at least 794 lives and leaving 2,426 missing. The school was buried under mud and debris. Many students initially underestimated the danger. Yunisha Amatya, 16, said she and her friends survived by just 10 seconds. They scrambled uphill through an escape route, some jostling to reach safety.

The floods devastated the local market. Many residents were stranded for two nights before rescue reached them. Yunisha's mother, Sabina Kumari Shrestha, was unable to reach her daughter or husband, who rushed to the school. Yunisha broke down when she finally received her mother's call. Back home, her family anxiously awaited her return.

Yunisha now worries about her future studies, fearing she may have to change schools and lose her friends. Dawadi believes his immediate actions prevented a catastrophe, but advocates for better warning systems, such as sirens and evacuation alerts, to help people respond quicker.