Nepal Floods: Headmaster's Quick Action Saves 1,643 Students
A Nepali headmaster's swift response—ringing the bell, moving students to high ground, and turning back buses—saved 1,643 lives as flash floods destroyed his school.
When flash floods tore through Nepal's Nuwakot district on the morning of 26 August, a school headmaster's presence of mind turned a potential catastrophe into a story of survival. Ravindra Dadabi, a 47-year-old English teacher, managed to evacuate all 1,643 students and most staff from his three-story school before it was completely washed away by the torrent.
The disaster, triggered by a glacier collapse, sent waves up to 30 meters high rushing at 75 kilometers per hour along the Trishuli River. The school, located near the riverbank in the Battar region, was directly in the path of the deluge. Two bridges and all riverside houses, including Dadabi's own home, were destroyed.
Dadabi's quick thinking began with a warning call from a friend five miles upstream. "He said the village was gone: taken by the river," Dadabi recounted. "He told me to run." With 700 students already en route—some on foot, some by bus—Dadabi immediately rang the school bell, directing pupils and staff to higher ground. He then contacted bus drivers, urging them to turn back. One driver he couldn't reach was already crossing a bridge; Dadabi shouted for him to reverse just as the bridge collapsed behind the bus.
Tragically, one teaching staff member was lost, but Dadabi's actions saved the lives of all 1,643 children and the rest of the faculty. Nepal Police reported that the flash floods have killed at least 734 people, with nearly 3,000 still missing. Dadabi is being hailed as a hero across the country for his extraordinary composure under pressure.