Nepal Floods: India To Rebuild School After Principal Evacuates 1,600 Students

India will support the complete reconstruction of a school in Nepal's Nuwakot district after its principal's quick decision to evacuate the campus helped save more than 1,600 students moments before devastating flash floods swept through the area.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava conveyed the decision during a meeting with Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School principal Rajendra Dawadi on Tuesday.

What Happened To The Nepal School?

Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School in Bidur, Nuwakot, was swept away by the floodwaters.

Srivastava on Tuesday said in a post on X, “Met Rajendra Dawadi, Principal, Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School, Bidur, Nuwakot. His timely action saved lives of more than 1600 school children just before the school was swept away in Rasuwa flash flood. This school was set up in 1950s; Designed by Indian engineer, involved in construction of Trishuli Hydropower plant, built by Indian assistance.”

“New building of this school was built thru HICDP programme with Indian grant in 2022. Conveyed to Mr. Dawadi that Indian embassy will support reconstruction of the school in the future,” he said.

How Did The Principal Save 1,600 Students?

When a warning came that muddy floodwaters were surging towards his school, Nepali principal Rajendra Dawadi had only minutes to act. His decision to evacuate the campus saved the lives of 1,643 children as a devastating flash flood tore through the Nepal-Tibet border region.

Dawadi, 47, principal of Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School in Nepal’s Trishuli Valley, received the warning at around 9:20 am on Wednesday. A friend told him that the nearby village had been overwhelmed by the river.

“He said the village was gone: taken by the river. He told me to run,” Dawadi recalled, according to The Times.

At the time, Dawadi believed the three-storey concrete school was safe. The building stood about 60 metres above the river and was roughly level with a steel bridge connecting the village to the eastern bank.

Dawadi immediately rang the school bell and ordered teachers to get the children out of their classrooms. He also called school bus drivers, instructing all but one to turn back.

The evacuation quickly became chaotic as the children realised the scale of the danger. One girl suffered a panic attack and had to be taken uphill on a motorbike, while the others escaped on foot, with Dawadi following behind, The Times reported.

The children eventually reached higher ground and took shelter beneath a bodhi tree.

Moments later, floodwaters swept through the area, destroying the school buildings and carrying away vehicles, bridges and other infrastructure. Dawadi’s decision ensured that 1,643 children and almost all the teaching staff survived.

According to the report, two school employees, however, were killed. Social history teacher Santos Pariyar, 32, was swept away after returning to his rented room beside the river to prepare breakfast. School janitor Sultan Lama also died after going back to close the school doors.

Locals have hailed Dawadi as a hero for his quick action.