KATHMANDU: On Wednesday morning, the bell rang as usual at Bageshwori Secondary School at Baireni in Galchi Rural Municipality-6 of Dhading. Students were gathering in the schoolyard for prayer under the bright morning sun.
Within minutes, Principal Gyanu Thapa Magar received a critical warning: a massive flood was coming in the Trishuli River and students needed to be evacuated immediately.
Speaking to Himal Press on Sunday, Magar said the details of that morning were fresh in her memory. Magar, who has been working at the school for nine years, said she had never imagined such a disaster. “Initially, we couldn’t believe the message as I never even imagined a flood like this coming here,” she said.
After the first phone call, teachers were initially confused because the school was located about a kilometer away from the Trishuli River. They believed floodwaters would not reach the grounds. However, they felt they must act as warning messages kept coming.
The school was situated in a low-lying area and had two potential evacuation routes. But it was difficult to choose the route for Magar and her team. They were concerned about whether floodwaters would catch students during evacuation.
The school’s routine turned into an emergency evacuation in an instant. Using loudspeakers, teachers quickly lined up the students to maintain order and calm.
According to Magar, the main challenge was a lack of real-time information regarding the flood’s location, as they were unable to make calls.
Nevertheless, all 416 students and 27 teachers rushed toward safety. Shortly after, a devastating flood inundated the school premises.
“Rather than flowing directly from the main channel, the Trishuli River floodwaters looped around before entering the school premises,” Magar said. “This provides us with sufficient time for evacuation.”
Since most of the students were evacuated before the floodwaters arrived, most students have not seen their classrooms submerge. Teachers also provided counseling during the evacuation to prevent trauma, Magar added.
The disaster also caused personal losses for students. Floodwaters carried away schoolbags of many children. “It was also difficult to unite students with their parents as roads and bridges around us were damaged,” she added.
The ground floors of all four school buildings were flooded, dumping approximately four feet of mud and sand in 17 classrooms. While the structures are intact, everything inside the rooms was damaged. Furniture was buried or broken, cabinets were ruined and the computer lab was destroyed. The flood also rendered the school’s electrical wiring, drinking water system, and restrooms non-operational.
Cleanup efforts began Saturday as volunteer teams arrived to clear the mud and sand. The school requires assistance with structural clearing, furniture restoration and rebuilding the computer lab before classes can resume.
Despite the destruction, Magar remains focused on reopening the school as soon as possible. “We want to repair all of this and reopen the school as soon as possible,” she said.
“The school can be rebuilt,” Magar said. “The fact that the students are safe is what matters most.”
