Nepal School Principal Rajendra Dawadi Evacuates 900 Students Minutes Before Flood Kills 919 and Leaves 4,700 Missing

The exact number of casualties varies between sources, with some reporting 919 deaths and 4,700 missing, while others focus on the evacuation success without specifying casualties.

The exact time of the flood and evacuation is reported as 9:10 a.m. on August 26, 2026, by multiple sources, but some sources refer to the date as August 26 without the time.

Rajendra Dawadi had less than 15 minutes to act on a warning of approaching floodwaters. His swift evacuation plan saved hundreds of lives.

Rajendra Davadi is the school director from the Nuwakot district in Nepal, where the river Trishuli is flowing. Due to a landslide, the water level in the river rose instantly, causing extensive damage and casualties: according to the latest data, 919 people have died, and another 4,700 are listed as missing. The number of casualties could have been even higher, if...

This principal in Nepal evacuated 900 students before flooding swept away their school  AP News

A school with hundreds of children was evacuated just minutes before it was buried in mud in Nepal.

A story of a principal at a secondary school in Nepal who safely evacuated 900 students just minutes before the floodwaters arrived has sparked widespread attention. According to BBC Radio on the local time of 30th (Wednesday), Rajendra Daudah, the principal of Tribhuban Tribhuvan Secondary School in Nuwakot, received four warning calls about the flood within a few minutes around 9:10 a.m. on the 26th. After a parent came to the school saying they would come to pick up their daughter to prepare for the flood, Daudah immediately decided to evacuate the students. Daudah told BBC, 'Parents do not rush without a good reason,' and added, 'It became clear that not a single second should be wasted in evacuating the children.' He led the students to higher ground and redirected the school bus that was en route to school. After the floodwaters surged, the school building was buried in mud and debris, and the dormitory building, located 100 meters away from the river, was quickly submerged. The awareness of the danger at the scene came too late. Teachers initially could not grasp what was happening, and some students were waiting for their classmates during class, unaware of the danger.

Upon receiving the warning, principal Rajendra Dawadi immediately evacuated 900 students to higher ground before the flash flood arrived.

A decision made in a fraction of a second made the difference between life and death for 900 children in Nepal. In the midst of the most severe floods to hit the region, a school director ordered a general evacuation of the institution exactly as the turbulent waters were preparing to hit full force. The school building, engulfed [...]

The story of a Nepali school principal who evacuated 900 students from the school just before a flood has become a topic of discussion, reported by the British Guardian on the 30th (local time). According to the Guardian, Rajendra Daudari, the principal of Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School in Nuwakot, decided to suspend classes and evacuate all students to higher ground after receiving four warning calls about a disaster on the 26th. Daudari told the BBC, 'I judged that there was no time to delay,' adding, 'Even if the flood did not come, it would have been a problem of just one day of missed classes.' He also mentioned witnessing a dormitory building about 100 meters away from the river being swept away by the fierce flood during the evacuation process, saying, 'If we had decided just 10 minutes later, the students and I would not be able to talk to you today.' A 16-year-old student who evacuated with Daudari, Unisha Amatya, recalled running upward along a muddy path. She continued, 'My friend and I were just 10 seconds away from being swept away.'

Rajendra Dawadi acted quickly after receiving warnings about the rising waters heading towards his institution.

Amid a major flood in Nepal, a school principal quickly decided to evacuate students after receiving multiple warning calls, saving the lives of about 900 students. According to BBC on the 30th (local time), Rajendra Dhadai, the principal of Tribuvan Tri Shri High School in the Nuwakot district of Nepal, evacuated students to a safer high ground after receiving a flood warning call. The school, which has slightly more than 1,600 students, had about 900 students who evacuated at that time. Dhadai said he received four warning calls from different people within a few minutes. It was also reported that the upstream village of Betrawati had already been swept away by the flood. He decided to evacuate immediately, as he judged there was no time to delay. Dhadai told BBC, "I thought there was no time to delay further." He added, "Even if the flood did not come, it would only mean missing one day of classes." While moving with the students to the high ground, he witnessed a dormitory building about 100 meters away from the river being submerged by the flood. Dhadai said, "The decision was..."

It is believed that the principal's quick reaction in Nepal saved the lives of at least 900 students after ordering an emergency evacuation, just a few minutes before the catastrophic flood waves reached the school building. Rajenda Dawadi, the principal [...]

A head teacher in Nepal has been praised for saving the lives of about 900 students after evacuating them just 10 minutes before devastating floods struck their school. Rajendra Dawadi, head teacher of Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School in Nuwakot district, said he received several warnings about an approaching flood at around 09:10 local time. After […] The post Nepal floods: Head teacher evacuates 900 pupils just 10 minutes before disaster appeared first on Tribune Online.

Rajendra Dawadi ordered students to higher ground with moments to spare after receiving warnings from upstream A headteacher in Nepal evacuated 900 children from a school moments before a deadly wall of water struck their town amid the devastating flash floods that have killed almost 800 people and left thousands missing. Rajendra Dawadi decided to halt classes and order children to higher ground after receiving warnings about the scale of the flooding heading their way. Continue reading...

Rajendra Dawadi leapt into action after receiving warnings over waters heading towards his school.

Rajendra Dawadi leapt into action after receiving warnings over waters heading towards his school.

A school director in Nepal took the decision to evacuate approximately 900 students after receiving several warnings regarding the risk of flooding. Shortly after the evacuation, the waters flooded the area and swallowed nearby buildings, and his decision proved essential.