Kathmandu. “Floods are coming, look.” Rajendra Thapa Magar, who had returned to his room after a night’s work, was called by a friend from outside. When he came out, he saw that the river, which was about 80 meters below where they were staying, was rising unnaturally.

Rajendra, who had been working in Rasuwa for two and a half years, knew the normal condition of the river there. That morning, however, the situation was different. After finishing the night’s work at 6:00 in the morning, he returned to his room, and within a few minutes, the flood blocked the escape route. “When I tried to run towards the road, there was a flood from there. There was a sound like a bomb exploding, big stones were coming. “Rajendra recalled that moment, he said, “We came out of the room where we were staying and ran to the room. The people sleeping there could not get up. ’

When the escape route was closed, Rajendra and other workers went to the mess where the Chinese workers were staying. There was no easy way to climb up from there. The structure was being destroyed by the flood. The cylinders and other materials kept below were flowing. There was stampede and screaming all around.

At that moment, Rajendra says that he had lost hope of living, “Now we will live and die. There was no place to run.” In the midst of that despair, he found a way to get out. After breaking a door and coming out through the window, he climbed the wall and went upstairs. When he reached the top, he started pulling his friend trapped below one by one. Initially, he tried to rescue a Chinese worker. But he could not succeed. Then he pulled others including his friend Sujan Gole. In the end, his own brother-in-law Naveen was not able to come upstairs in panic. “I called him. Finally, he came and pulled him too. “Rajendra said, “In this way, I was able to save seven people by pulling them upstairs. ’

It had been only 12 days since Naveen of Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City-15 had reached Rasuwa for work. When he reached there for work for the first time, he was also sleeping in his room after completing his night duty. “I was sleeping. My brother-in-law picked me up and took me away. I managed to survive by pulling him. “Naveen, Naveen, said, “Many friends were flooded in front of our eyes, but we survived.” ’

After immediately saving his life from the flood and reaching the upper safe place, Rajendra called home. The mobile phone was not charged enough. There was no situation to talk to the family for a long time. After informing the family that he was alive and not to worry, his mobile was switched off.

According to Rajendra’s wife, Karishma Singh Tamang, she talked to her husband for a few minutes after the floods. After that, contact was lost. “We tried a lot to contact her. But the call did not work. “I am safe, don’t worry,” she said. “I was hoping that she would come back.” For Karishma, her husband was not the only concern. Her brother Naveen was also in the flood-affected area. The worry of the family members was increasing as they could not understand the condition of both husband and brother.

Rajendra and Naveen, on the other hand, went to the upper reaches with other workers after being saved from the floods. As they could not get out immediately, they took shelter in a local school. According to Rajendra, they stayed there for five days and were rescued on the sixth day. During that period, there was no easy food and accommodation. He said that they had to live on biscuits, noodles and other available food items. They were waiting for rescue amid the pain of losing a colleague in the flood and uncertainty about when they would reach home.

In Hetauda, the family was seeking more information about their condition. According to Sunil Moktan, ward chairman of Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City-15, coordination was made with various agencies to find out the whereabouts of Rajendra and Naveen. He said that the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Chief Minister’s Secretariat and the district administration have coordinated to find out the proof that they are safe. During the process, a video of the people staying in a safe place was received.

Moktan sent the video to the family. After asking to see if there were any of their people in the video, the family recognized Naveen. “We were relieved only after seeing our people in the video. “We were relieved only after seeing our people in the video,” said Moktan. He said that even after that, coordination is being maintained with various agencies to bring them back safely. Finally, they were rescued by a Nepal Army helicopter. According to Rajendra, the helicopter brought them to Dhunche. After that, they returned to Hetauda via Kathmandu by vehicle.

After waiting for many days, Rajendra and Naveen returned to Hetauda safely. Rajendra’s mother-in-law said that the floods and its aftermath still feel like a dream to her. “Thankfully, you came safe. You saved others too. “, she said.

According to ward chair Moktan, two people from the ward have died in the floods while Hira Syangtan is still out of contact. “It is not possible to say that we are happy when the country is crying,” he said, “But we are relieved that our two brothers have returned alive.” Moktan said that the ward will help Rajendra and Naveen for their health treatment and reconstruct their citizenship certificates lost in the floods.

The job kept Rajendra in Rasuwa for two and a half years. Naveen was in trouble within 12 days of starting work. The flood washed away their clothes and documents, and many friends who worked together were lost. Rajendra and Naveen, who left the school for five days and left on the sixth day, are now with their families.