A 64-year-old Nepalese woman has survived what rescuers described as an extraordinary ordeal after spending 10 days trapped beneath the debris of a collapsed four-storey building following devastating floods.
Chandika Kumari Shrestha was reported missing after flash floods tore through the Bhotekoshi river basin on August 26, destroying homes and entire settlements.
Her family had feared she was dead and had begun the traditional mourning process when rescuers heard cries coming from beneath the rubble.
A nine-member Armed Police Force team eventually located Shrestha inside the debris in Betrawati, Nuwakot.
She had survived inside a small air pocket amid mud and debris.
The rescue team spent about 45 minutes extracting her from the wreckage before she was taken by helicopter for medical treatment.
Shrestha had disappeared along with four members of her family when the floods struck.
Her rescue came as Nepal continued to deal with the enormous human toll of the disaster, which destroyed communities and left thousands of people missing.
The survival of Shrestha offered a rare moment of hope amid widespread devastation.
Her rescue also underscored the uncertainty confronting families still waiting for information about relatives who disappeared in the floods.
Authorities and rescue teams have continued searching devastated areas while efforts are being made to identify victims and account for those still missing.
The disaster has left communities facing not only the immediate loss of life and homes but also the painful uncertainty surrounding missing relatives.
For Shrestha’s family, however, that uncertainty ended with an extraordinary discovery: a woman they had already believed dead was found alive after 10 days beneath the ruins of her home.
