6 days ago
Nepal Mudslide Survivors Recount Escapes as Death Toll Rises
A sudden wall of water and mud hit an area of Nepal on Wednesday.
Bibek Kumal was working in a deep pit when he heard a warning and tried to run.
The water swept him away, but he caught onto a mango tree.
Police later rescued him, and he was taken to a hospital with a leg injury.
Rihana Lamichhane, who is 11 years old, was also hurt by rushing floodwater.
She was leaving school when the water came down.
Her mother was relieved that Rihana survived.
Officials have not determined exactly what caused the mudslide, but an earthquake may have happened shortly before it.
Hundreds of people have died or are still missing.
Bibek Kumal was swept away while working near Bidur but survived by clinging to a mango tree.
Kumal suffered right-leg injuries and is being treated at Kathmandu’s National Trauma Centre.
Eleven-year-old Rihana Lamichhane was injured when floodwater surged as she crossed a river after leaving school.
The cause of the mudslide remains unclear, though a 4.4-magnitude earthquake was recorded about seven minutes earlier.
At least 359 people have died and 667 remain missing, according to the report.
- Who
- Bibek Kumal, 11-year-old Rihana Lamichhane, their families, police, and people affected by the disaster.
- What
- A sudden flood or mudslide swept through the area, killing at least 359 people and leaving 667 missing while survivors were rescued and treated.
- Where
- Bidur, downstream from the worst-hit Rasuwa district in Nepal, near the border with Tibet; injured survivors were treated in Kathmandu.
- When
- Wednesday; the report says a 4.4-magnitude earthquake occurred about seven minutes before the mudslide, based on footage timing.
- Why
- The exact cause remains unclear. A prominent theory is that the mudslide followed a 4.4-magnitude earthquake.
Key facts
- Deaths
- At least 359 people
- Missing
- 667 people
- Survivor
- Bibek Kumal survived after clinging to a mango tree
- Child survivor
- 11-year-old Rihana Lamichhane suffered leg and chest injuries
- Treatment location
- Kathmandu’s National Trauma Centre
- Possible trigger
- A 4.4-magnitude earthquake recorded about seven minutes before the mudslide
- Reported location
- Bidur, downstream from Rasuwa district, Nepal
Quotes
Rihana Lamichhane
An 11-year-old flood survivor who suffered leg and chest injuries.
“I was at school. They closed the school because of this and asked us to go home. As I was crossing the river, suddenly floodwater came gushing down.”
wionews.com
“Luckily I was stuck up in a mango tree. Had there been no mango tree, I would have been washed away to death.”
wionews.com
Sources
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