Nepal floods: meet the principal whose quick thinking saved 900 students
Rajendra Dawadi was inside his classroom when a colleague rushed in with a warning: floodwaters were racing through Nepal’s Trishuli Valley, tearing apart homes, bridges and entire villages. Then a teacher received another warning by phone. Moments later, a parent arrived to take her child home. The danger had not yet been confirmed, but Dawadi, the principal, had little time to act. He rang the…
Rajendra Dawadi, the principal of Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School, saved approximately 900 students from the devastating flash floods in Nepal by quickly evacuating the school. When a colleague warned of the approaching floodwaters, Dawadi rang the school bell and ordered everyone to safety, taking them to a nearby hill. The school, which had been both his workplace and a significant part of his life, was later submerged by the torrent of water, mud, and debris.
Despite two staff members remaining missing, Dawadi's actions saved the majority of his students. At the time, the school had 1,643 students enrolled, and at least 900 were present on the day of the disaster. Dawadi's swift response was instrumental in ensuring the children's safety, and his story has become a testament to foresight and courage.
The floods, triggered by a glacial collapse in the Himalayas, resulted in over 950 deaths and left more than 4,400 people missing. Dawadi's school was not the only one affected; across northern Nepal, at least 69 schools were destroyed, putting the education of nearly 19,000 students at risk. Dawadi's heroism has been praised, and he remains humble, emphasizing that his responsibility was to save his students.
As Nepal grapples with the aftermath of the disaster, Dawadi appeals to the government to rebuild the schools and facilitate the return of students to their studies.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
