- Following the catastrophic floods on 26 August in the Rasuwa district, an 8-year-old child has been reunited with his family.
- Separated from his relatives when his school was destroyed, young Zoyal Ghale survived by taking refuge in a tree before being evacuated.
- The intervention of journalist Sahana Bajracharya at the Trishuli hospital enabled his mother, Matti Maya Tamang, to locate him.
Environmental disaster and separation in Rasuwa
On 26 August, severe flash floods and landslides struck northern Nepal, particularly the Rasuwa district near the Chinese border. The violent floods destroyed a vast amount of infrastructure, sweeping away homes, markets and schools under a torrent of mud and rocks. Faced with the scale of the damage, many families found themselves separated in the chaos of the initial hours. The mudslides and flash floods devastated several localities in the north of the country. Among those affected, Matti Maya Tamang, a 28-year-old mother, tirelessly searched shelters and medical facilities for her children, fearing the worst after the complete destruction of the school building where her eldest son was located.
A miraculous survival amidst the floodwaters
Yet, 8-year-old Zoyal Ghale managed to escape the tragedy on his own. As the waters flooded his school, the child fled to an adjacent wooded area and climbed a tree to escape the raging torrents. Found by rescue teams dispatched to the scene, he had a fractured leg and several facial injuries. The eight-year-old child escaped the waters by climbing a tree before being evacuated by air. Due to the breakdown in communications and the urgency of the medical situation, the young boy was airlifted alone, with no immediate contact possible with his parents.
The decisive role of a hospital report
Admitted to Trishuli Hospital, located in the neighbouring Nuwakot district, Zoyal Ghale found himself hospitalised away from his loved ones. It was during a visit to this facility that journalist Sahana Bajracharya took an interest in the situation of this young patient admitted without an accompanying adult. The presence of a journalist in the medical facility helped break the isolation of the injured child. Informed of his solitary admission, the reporter took steps to identify the child and contact his family, making the connection with his mother who believed him to be missing.
Also read Inondations au Népal : un troisième rescapé sauvé dix jours après la catastrophe
An awaited reunion in a time of crisis
Having already managed to reach safety with her youngest son, Matti Maya Tamang was finally able to join her eldest son at the hospital on Friday. The young boy remains under the care of the medical team, who are carrying out the necessary examinations and scans to assess the progress of his injuries. This family reunion comes as rescue operations continue in the disaster-stricken areas. While this outcome brings relief to the family, the region remains severely affected by the human and material toll of this natural disaster.
