Journalist's village disappears in devastating Trishuli River flood

The Trishuli River, a force usually contained, unleashed a devastating flood that obliterated Sole Bazaar, the childhood village of a journalist for The Kathmandu Post. The journalist, en route to his office, initially dismissed his wife's panicked calls about the flood, unable to fathom that his familiar lanes and fields could be submerged.

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There’s been a flood in the Trishuli. Something’s happened to Sole Bazaar and Betrawati, people are saying there’s nothing left. Everyone’s out on the road. There are videos of them panicking.

Betrawati Bazaar, the bustling heart of the region where buses to Kathmandu stopped and where his parents used to wait for him, was also swept away. This area, known for its temples and vibrant community gatherings, vanished in an instant. The journalist's attempts to reach his wife and family were met with silence, as phone lines went dead and no one answered.

He described the slow, agonizing process of confirming the destruction. Videos and photographs began to arrive, showing a scene of utter devastation that defied his understanding. Sole and Tupche, settlements situated nearly a hundred meters above the riverbed, had never been reached by the river in living memory. Yet, the floodwaters had surged impossibly high, leaving nothing behind.

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I just heard too, dai. I can’t get through to anyone. Not Mummy, not Buwa, not my uncle, my aunt, nobody’s phone is even ringing.

The journalist's personal connection to the village, where everyone is considered kin, made the unfolding tragedy even more profound. He recounted calling cousins, neighbors, and childhood friends, each confirmation of loss adding to the overwhelming grief. The article captures the raw shock and disbelief of witnessing a place deeply ingrained in one's identity disappear without a trace.

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There’s nothing left in the village. Most of the people are gone.