'We All Ran Towards the Mountain': Himachal Man Recounts 2-Day Struggle to Survive Nepal Floods

Indian foreman Gyan Singh survived devastating flash floods at a power project in Nepal after being stranded for nearly two days. He was rescued by a Nepal Army helicopter from a hillside where about 100 people were trapped.

For 50-year-old Gyan Singh, a routine day at a power project in Nepal suddenly turned into a desperate fight for survival when devastating flash floods struck the region. The foreman from Mandi’s Sundernagar subdivision managed to escape the raging waters, spending nearly two days and one night stranded on a hillside before the Nepal Army rescued him by helicopter.

Singh, a resident of Maloh village, had been working in power projects for nearly three decades and had spent the previous eight months at the Nepal project. He was on duty at the powerhouse when the disaster struck.

According to India Today report, recalling the terrifying moments, Singh said, “There was suddenly a huge flood and we all ran towards the mountain.”

The escape, however, was only the beginning of his ordeal. Singh and other workers remained stranded with little hope of finding a way out. According to his account, around 100 people were trapped in the area where he was stranded. Almost all have since been evacuated, although one worker was still trapped at the time of his account.

The larger picture remains heartbreaking. Singh said around 98 people associated with the entire project were still missing following the disaster. Five people from Himachal Pradesh had been working there along with him. Three had returned safely, while a worker from Una district remained missing.

Back home, Singh’s family had endured agonising uncertainty. His wife, Kalawati, was unable to reach him after the floods and feared that he might not have survived. The family finally received a call from Singh the following day, bringing an overwhelming sense of relief. Kalawati said the family believed his survival was possible because of the blessings of their deities.

Singh’s return has therefore brought one family a moment of joy amid a much larger tragedy. While he is safely home, dozens of families connected to the project continue to wait anxiously for news of their loved ones. The disaster has left behind not only destruction, but also a race against time to find those still missing.