A dramatic rescue amid utter devastation has been reported in Nepal, where a 64-year-old woman was found alive 11 days after deadly floods swept through the Bhotekoshi River area.
Chandika Shrestha was found trapped on the fourth floor of a four-storey house in the Betrawati area of Nuwakot district, north of Kathmandu, which had been almost entirely buried under mud, rocks and debris after the violent flood.
Search and rescue teams working in the area heard faint voices coming from inside the ruined building. Rescuers halted work with heavy machinery and began carefully clearing the debris until they managed to open a passage through a wall and free her.
Woman rescued in Nepal on the 11th day after the flood
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) September 5, 2026
The victim was found alive on the fourth floor of a flooded house in Betravati. Rescuers had to break through a wall, after which she was evacuated and taken to hospital.
According to the latest figures, 1,344 people have… pic.twitter.com/dnztrZbLd5
Trapped in mud for almost two weeks
Her house had been swept away and then buried under huge layers of mud. The woman remained trapped on the upper floor, while much of the building had been destroyed.
Her rescue caused widespread emotion across the country, as it had been considered unlikely that anyone could be found alive so many days after the disaster.
After she was freed, she was immediately given water and first aid, before being airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in Kathmandu for further treatment.
A breath of hope amid a national tragedy
Shrestha’s rescue came as Nepal continues to count the cost of one of the worst natural disasters of recent years.
The floods, triggered by the collapse of a glacier and extreme water flows in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers, have left hundreds dead and thousands missing.
Shrestha’s story offers a rare message of hope for families still waiting for news of their loved ones, as search and rescue operations continue in the affected areas.
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