Those who survived Nepal floods: How a 97-year-old woman cheated death, was pulled alive from rubble

Devastating flash floods struck Nepal earlier this week, leaving over 600 people dead and more than 2,400 still missing as of Saturday.

A deadly flash flood wreaked havoc in Nepal on Wednesday, leaving behind a trail of massive destruction. The death toll from the disaster, one of the worst in Nepal, crossed 600 on Saturday while thousands still remain missing. Amid the chaos and crisis, extraordinary tales of survival have emerged from care homes, forests, hillsides, and beyond.

Police officers carry a survivor to a safer place following a flash flood at Trishuli in Nuwakot district, Nepal, August 26, 2026. (REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar)

97-year-old woman pulled from rubble

Among several stories of survival from Nepal, the one of a 97-year-old woman, Guna Maya Bohara, stands out. She was pulled alive from the rubble of her care home after four-hour-long rescue operation carried out by the authorities.

Deep Dive

How did the 97-year-old woman survive the Nepal floods?

What challenges did survivors face after the Nepal flash floods?

What role did the Nepali Army play during the rescue efforts?

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Now recovering at a hospital, Bohara was described by her great-nephew as a "warrior" who returned victorious from the battle, BBC reported.

Mattresses and debris is seen coming out of windows of a damaged house in the aftermath of flash floods at Devighat in Nepal's Nuwakot district on August 29, 2026. (AFP)

‘Second chance at life’

Raju Budhathoki, a customs agent working in Timure, was resting in his room when the disaster struck, according to The Kathmandu Post. Describing the situation, he said he was asleep when the hillside started shaking "as if there had been an earthquake."

Following this, he rushed outside and managed to reach a nearby police post where he saw the police personnel also rushing to safety.

He saw houses being swept away, but managed to reached a forest, about 500 metres uphill. "I never imagined I would get a second chance at life like this," the local media quoted him as saying.

Search and rescue operation underway in the aftermath of the devastating flash flood at Trishuli Dam, in Nuwakot district, Nepal. (File Photo/PTI)

'Eating packets of noodles'

Another customs agent, Prakash Gautam, fled into the darkness after hearing a rumbling sound, sustaining a deep toe injury during his escape.

Describing the devastation he witnessed, Gautam said he could see dead bodies floating in the floodwaters from the forest above.

He further shared that he survived on noodle packets dropped by the Nepali Army before being rescued 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.

Nepal Army personnel during a search and rescue operation in the aftermath of the devastating flash floods, at Trishuli camp, in Nuwakot district, Nepal, (File Photo/PTI)

What happened in Nepal

Devastating flash floods struck Nepal earlier this week, leaving over 600 people dead and more than 2,400 still missing as of Saturday, according to news agency PTI.

Visuals of the destruction show the widespread devastation caused by the disaster.

Following the flood, intensive search and relief teams, including the Nepali Army and local security personnel, continue their efforts to bring survivors to safety.

(with inputs from PTI)