Betrawati: They were hiding in the forest above the river. Bruised and in total shock. Five-year-old Kirti Tamang watched as her mother and sister were swept away by the angry flood. She was flung onto the slope and survived, and was later found in the forest with two other children.
According to Global Voices, Kirti has not been able to speak. Another boy from her school, Biswas Tamang, is even more badly bruised, his school ID around his neck. His schoolteachers, who found him, used the information on his ID to contact his mother in a neighboring district. She had sent her child to attend an English-medium public school in Betrawati. The emotional impact of the scene was overwhelming, akin to the flood itself. Documenting the tragedy felt inappropriate, and the focus was on bearing witness to the pain and sorrow of those affected.
The journey from Kathmandu began at 4:00 a.m. on motorbikes. By dawn, signs of death and destruction were evident: scars left by the river, flattened forests, and debris hangfrom rooftops. Trisuli Bazar and Devighat had disappeared, and the road to the Chinese border was obliterated. The usual quick journey to Betrawati now took five hours through forest trails.
The trip was fraught with danger, as the bikes frequently slid in the sludge. Streams of people walked along the riverbanks, searching for loved ones. Among them were Chinese workers looking for colleagues from a hydropower plant. The devastation included bodies covered in sediment and the heart-wrenching sight of a husband discovering his wife’s body.
The scale of loss is immense, affecting thousands of families. Survivors are those who were lucky or fit enough to escape the raging waters. Many families cannot trace their missing members, and even finding bodies is considered fortunate. The disaster has overwhelmed relief efforts, and survivors face the daunting task of rebuilding their lives.
The catastrophe surpasses the 2015 earthquake in its impact. It was a deeply personal experience, altering perspectives on life’s impermanence. Despite requests for detailed reports, capturing the essence of the tragedy seemed more important than journalistic objectives. The flood struck with no warning, leaving survivors in disbelief at its speed and ferocity.
In the affected villages, the absence of young men was noticeable, highlighting the impact of migration. Many of those who perished are likely women and children. Efforts to account for survivors and the deceased are ongoing, as army trucks and helicopters deliver supplies. Amidst the turmoil, life continues, with pilgrims journeying to religious festivals.
As night approached, the return journey to Kathmandu began. Volunteers worked to reunite Biswas with his mother, while survivors searched for remnants of their homes. The community’s resilience shines through, but the path to recovery remains long and uncertain.