Nepal floods survivors: How a 97-year-old woman cheated death after being buried under rubble

A deadly flash flood that struck Nepal on Wednesday left behind a massive trail of destruction, with the death toll crossing 600 by Saturday and more than 2,400 people still reported missing. As rescue teams race against time, extraordinary stories of survival have emerged from collapsed buildings, forests and hillsides.

97-year-old woman rescued from rubble

Among the remarkable survival stories is that of 97-year-old Guna Maya Bohara, who was pulled alive from the rubble of her care home after a four-hour rescue operation.

Bohara, who is now recovering in hospital, was described by her great-nephew as a “warrior” who had returned victorious from a battle, the BBC reported.

‘Second chance at life’

Raju Budhathoki, a customs agent in Timure, was resting in his room when the disaster struck, according to The Kathmandu Post. He said he was asleep when the hillside began shaking “as if there had been an earthquake.”

Budhathoki rushed outside and made his way to a nearby police post, where he saw police personnel also scrambling to safety. He watched helplessly as houses were swept away before managing to reach a forest around 500 metres uphill.

“I never imagined I would get a second chance at life like this,” he was quoted as saying by local media.

Survived on packets of noodles

Another customs agent, Prakash Gautam, fled into the darkness after hearing a loud rumbling sound and injured his toe while escaping.

From the forest above, Gautam said he could see bodies being carried away by the floodwaters. He survived by eating packets of noodles dropped by the Nepali Army before being rescued by helicopter at around 10 am on Thursday, The Kathmandu Post reported.

“Only after boarding the helicopter did I feel that I had actually survived,” Gautam told the newspaper.

What happened in Nepal?

The devastating flash floods struck Nepal earlier this week, killing more than 600 people and leaving over 2,400 missing as of Saturday, according to PTI.

Images and videos from the affected areas show the scale of the destruction, with homes, roads and other infrastructure swept away by raging floodwaters.

The Nepali Army, security forces and local authorities continue to conduct intensive search-and-rescue and relief operations, while efforts remain focused on locating those missing and bringing survivors to safety.