Nepal Floods: Survivors Recount 'Chaotic Scene' and 'Deep Sorrow'

Survivors of the devastating floods and landslides that struck Nepal's Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts are recounting harrowing experiences, painting a grim picture of the disaster. Keshab Prasad Baral, 68, a survivor receiving treatment in a small hospital, described the terrifying moments when a massive landslide engulfed his village. "A huge amount of mud kept pouring down towards us," he told Reuters, recalling how he tried to escape with his wife only for her to be swept away by the mud. "Four or five hours later, a helicopter came to rescue me. But my wife is still somewhere under the mud. She is gone."

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A huge amount of mud kept pouring down towards us. When I went into the house to grab my wife's hand to flee together, my wife was swept away by the mud.

Witnesses described the scene as "extremely chaotic." One survivor, who woke up to a tremendous noise around 6 a.m., initially thought someone had died. He explained that rescue workers were rushing around, but no one seemed to know what to do. "I don't know what happened, there's no one around, and I have no idea how to deal with this situation," he said, his eyes welling up with tears.

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Four or five hours later, a helicopter came to rescue me. But my wife is still somewhere under the mud. She is gone.

The BBC reported from a hospital in Kathmandu that rescued survivors were being airlifted in, and crowds of people seeking news of their families had gathered, creating a scene of intense emotion and desperation. The scale of the destruction is immense, with entire villages buried under gray mud. Destroyed roads and submerged buildings make access difficult for rescue teams, and survivors often arrive covered in mud, having narrowly escaped with their lives.

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It was an extremely chaotic scene.

Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah, a rapper-turned-politician, took to social media to express the nation's "shock and deep sorrow," pledging to mobilize all government resources. The 36-year-old leader faces his first major crisis response test following his election victory last year. As of August 27, the death toll had risen to at least 160, with 157 bodies recovered by Nepalese police and three reported in the Tibetan region of China. The number of missing persons, including 466 foreigners from 28 countries, is also a grave concern.

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Around 6 a.m., we were startled awake by a tremendous noise outside. I thought someone must have died.