In Betrawati, Nepal, a glimmer of hope emerged when Chandika Kumari Shrestha was found alive in her collapsed home on September 5, 2026. Her family had mourned her presumed death following catastrophic floods that ravaged the area.
Rescue teams spent about 45 minutes extracting Shrestha from her precarious position, where she had survived in a small air pocket surrounded by mud and debris. Police officer Mahendra Darnal, who participated in the operation, recounted the moment they heard her cries for help.
The four-storey house was swept (away) by the floods and the house was left in the middle of a quicksand. While walking around it, we heard a voice 'save me,'
Mahendra Darnal, Police Officer
Shrestha's rescue comes amid a grim toll, with over 1,300 people confirmed dead across Nepal as ongoing recovery operations struggle to locate many of the nearly 5,000 individuals still unaccounted for. The floods, triggered by a glacial collapse, have left entire communities devastated.
The situation in Betrawati remains dire. As recovery teams sift through the wreckage, they continue to uncover bodies, with 24 discovered in one area just days before Shrestha's rescue. Efforts are also focused on locating survivors trapped under the hardened debris.
The floods have prompted widespread destruction, burying markets and homes under layers of mud and debris, while authorities remain committed to finding survivors.
As Nepal faces the immediate aftermath of this disaster, the resilience of its people shines through. Alongside Shrestha, an 8-year-old boy was also rescued and reunited with his mother, highlighting the ongoing efforts to find those still missing.