Nepal to preserve DNA of unidentified flood victims before burying them: Prime Minister

Five friends from Chhattisgarh narrowly escaped a devastating flood in Nepal's Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river valleys when a casual tea break in a hotel saved their lives. The group of five, members of Raipur's Mana Camp area, had planned to visit temples and other attractions before returning home on August 28.

It was around 9:30 am on August 26 when they stopped for tea at a hotel in Malekhu, a town in Dhading district. It was there that they learned about the washed-out bridge and the raging Trishuli river carrying debris and bodies downstream. The hotel owner, an Indian, proved to be a lifesaver, providing the friends with food and shelter as they watched the disaster unfold.

The group then spent two tense days on higher ground, sleeping inside their rented car as the flood situation remained precarious. They were fortunate to have stopped for tea when they did; had they left 10-15 minutes earlier, they might have been trapped.

The friends recounted the harrowing experience, noting the fear of the flood worsening and the sight of vehicles, bodies, and debris carried away by the swift current. They also expressed gratitude for the assistance of local residents and authorities, who helped them despite the lack of electricity and water.

Additionally, a heartwarming moment occurred as local women security personnel tied rakhi, a symbolic thread, on the friends' wrists during the Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan. This gesture offered the stranded travellers a sense of comfort during their ordeal. The friends remained in contact with their families via the internet, sharing their location through a government helpline, which helped ease their anxiety.