Ten days after a devastating natural disaster struck Nepal on August 26, intensive search and rescue operations continue around the clock. Military personnel and disaster response teams are scouring through massive piles of mud and debris across the hardest hit regions of Rasuwa and Nuwakot. Midst the ongoing relief efforts, distressing data compiled by local authorities and educational institutions reveals that approximately 600 children remain missing from these two districts. Rescuers are inspecting every corner, from riverbanks to mountain slopes, in a desperate bid to locate survivors and provide closure to grieving families.
Districts Report Missing Schoolchildren and Teachers
Data gathered from local government bodies and schools paints a grim picture of the catastrophe's impact on young lives. In Rasuwa district, nearly 280 children are reported missing following the heavy flooding and landslides. Meanwhile, in neighbouring Nuwakot district, officials have been unable to trace between 300 and 350 children. Although authorities managed to locate a few students, at least 300 remain completely unaccounted for in the district. The disaster has also taken a heavy toll on teaching staff, with 16 teachers missing in Rasuwa and 6 in Nuwakot. According to Nepal's Ministry of Education, 22 schools across Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading suffered severe damage, with 12 of those school buildings completely destroyed.
Death Toll Reaches 1,283 as Search Continues for Thousands
The catastrophic flooding has claimed 1,283 lives across the nation so far, while search operations are still underway to find more than 5,000 missing individuals. Despite hazardous terrain and severe weather conditions, rescue teams have successfully evacuated and saved over 12,000 people since the disaster began. One of the most critical challenges facing the Nepalese Army is reaching employees trapped inside the subterranean tunnels of various hydropower projects. With communication links completely severed, soldiers are working relentlessly to clear accumulated sludge and debris from the tunnels to reach those stranded deep inside.
Miracle Survival Inside Hydropower Tunnel on Day 10
Amidst the widespread destruction, a rare ray of hope emerged on Friday, marking the tenth day of rescue operations. Emergency crews successfully pulled two workers alive from inside a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A Hydel Project. The workers had endured ten days trapped inside the dark, mud choked shaft before rescuers cleared enough debris to haul them to safety. This remarkable survival story has energized rescue personnel, who are continuing their efforts with renewed determination to locate other workers who may still be trapped inside affected hydropower tunnels.
