Chandrika Shrestha, a 64-year-old woman, survived for 10 days trapped beneath thick mud and debris inside her home in Nepal’s Nuwakot district following a catastrophic flash flood, according to the Armed Police Force Nepal. Search and rescue teams discovered her alive on Saturday, September 5, 2026, after a glacier and rock collapse on August 26 triggered tsunami-like walls of water and debris across the China-Nepal border.
Rescue Operations and Survivor Accounts in Nuwakot
Deputy Police Chief Iqbal Hawari told AFP that police officers found Shrestha while clearing the heavily impacted disaster zone. Workers immediately airlifted her to Kathmandu for urgent medical treatment, according to official reports. Footage released by the Armed Police Force showed only the upper portion of her residence visible above the gray silt, with the ground floor entirely submerged.
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Comparing Casualty Figures Across Nepal and China
Across the border in China, state media outlets confirmed 31 deaths alongside 531 missing individuals.
Hydropower Tunnel Rescues Along Trishuli River
Officials and rescue personnel told Reuters that a glacier collapse in the upper Trishuli River basin on August 26 trapped at least 900 people inside tunnels connected to six hydroelectric power projects along the river. On Friday, September 4, 2026, two male hydropower workers emerged from a tunnel connected to the Upper Trishuli 34 hydroelectric plant after spending nine days underground. The Energy Ministry of Nepal identified the survivors as mechanical foreman Sanjay Sah and mechanical supervisor Kabir Maharjan.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long was Chandrika Shrestha trapped in the mud?
Chandrika Shrestha survived for 10 days trapped inside her mud-filled home in the Nuwakot district before rescue workers found her on September 5, 2026.
Where was Shrestha taken after her rescue?
Following her extraction by the Armed Police Force Nepal, she was airlifted to Kathmandu for medical treatment.
How many people remain missing from the Nepal floods?
According to national disaster management figures, over 5,000 people remain missing across Nepal and China combined following the August 26 disaster.
Who are the other notable survivors found recently?
Mechanical foreman Sanjay Sah and mechanical supervisor Kabir Maharjan were rescued on September 4, 2026, after spending nine days trapped inside a Trishuli River hydroelectric tunnel.
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