Believing that Chandika Kumari Shrestha had perished in the devastating floods in Nepal, her family began the mourning rituals for her. However, ten days later, rescuers discovered her alive inside her collapsed home in Betrawati village. She had managed to survive in a small air pocket amidst the water and mud.

Police officer Mahendra Darnal recounted that the four-storey house was swept away by the floods, leaving it in a quicksand-like situation. While conducting a search, they heard a voice calling for help, leading them to Shrestha. A rescue operation lasting 45 minutes successfully extracted her from the confined space and transferred her to an army hospital.

Shrestha, who was one of the many missing individuals in Betrawati, an area severely impacted by the floods in Nepal, was found within dense, concrete-like debris. Rescue teams are still recovering numerous deceased individuals from the area.

In a scene of destruction, Betrawati’s market and several residential buildings, some towering up to four stories high, were almost entirely buried under debris following the destructive torrent that swept through the valley, resulting in over 1,300 fatalities across Nepal with thousands still missing.

Rescuers, equipped with hard hats, were observed diligently digging and searching for survivors in the debris. Meanwhile, in Betrawati’s market area, 24 bodies in advanced stages of decomposition were discovered in a building that housed a small shop.

Despite almost two weeks passing since the disastrous floods triggered by a glacial collapse, nearly 5,000 individuals are still unaccounted for. The aftermath has seen bodies washing up along riverbanks in distant regions, with mass burials conducted in Chitwan for unidentified and severely decomposed remains.

Nepali authorities persist in their search efforts for survivors trapped in tunnels and under hardened mud deposits covering buildings. Recent operations have led to the rescue of three individuals, including a Chinese national near the Trishuli river where a significant number of people are believed to be trapped.

Among the miraculous survival stories is that of Shrestha and an eight-year-old boy who was also reunited with his mother under extraordinary circumstances. Hope remains fragile as the search for survivors continues amidst the challenging conditions in Nepal.