Nepal Teacher Received Flood Warning. What He Did Next Saved 1,643 Children - NDTV

**Headteacher’s Quick Thinking Saves 1,643 Children as Flash Floods Ravage Nepalese School**

*Kathmandu, 30 August 2026* – In the early hours of Tuesday, a sudden flash flood swept through the remote Khotang district of eastern Nepal, destroying a primary school and threatening the lives of hundreds of students. The disaster unfolded just minutes after the headteacher of the school, Mr. Bikash Khadka, received an official flood warning from the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology. Acting on the alert, Khadka ordered an immediate evacuation, ushering roughly 900 pupils out of the building and into higher ground before the torrent hit. By the time rescue teams arrived, the school’s concrete structure had been reduced to a mud‑filled ruin, yet every child under Khadka’s charge emerged unharmed. Subsequent reports from nearby villages indicate that coordinated evacuations inspired by his actions helped protect an additional 743 children, bringing the total number of lives saved to **1,643**.

The flood warning, issued at 09:45 a.m. local time, was broadcast over community radio and reinforced by a series of sirens placed along the riverbank. According to eyewitnesses, a stranger sprinted past the school shouting, “Run, water!” – a warning that echoed the official alert and spurred the children to flee. Khadka, familiar with the terrain, guided the pupils along a narrow, elevated footpath that led to a makeshift shelter on a hillock. Teachers and staff assisted in keeping order, while local volunteers distributed blankets and dry clothing. The entire evacuation was completed in under ten minutes, a feat that local officials later described as “extraordinary” and “a textbook example of disaster preparedness.”

In the flood’s aftermath, the Ministry of Education confirmed that the school building was completely washed away, prompting an immediate request for reconstruction funds. The government, together with the Nepal Red Cross Society and international NGOs, has set up temporary learning spaces for the displaced students and launched a broader relief operation for the thousands affected across the region. While the floods claimed at least 45 lives elsewhere, the swift response led by Khadka has been hailed as a lifesaving beacon amid tragedy, underscoring the critical role of community leadership in disaster-prone areas.