Nepali Woman Found Alive 10 Days After Flood

The family of Chandika Kumari Shrestha was convinced that the elderly woman had perished in the devastating floods in Nepal and began the traditional 11-day period of mourning for her.

Ten days after the disaster, however, unexpected news arrived. Rescuers heard a voice coming from beneath the rubble of her four-story house in the hard-hit village of Betrawati.

Shrestha had survived in a narrow space with access to air, surrounded by water and mud. Police rescued her during a 45-minute operation and transported her to a military hospital. Her case brought a dose of optimism at a time when rescuers continue to find dozens of bodies.

Floods triggered by a glacier collapse have killed more than 1,300 people in Nepal, and nearly 5,000 remain missing.

Despite dwindling hope, rescue teams continue to search tunnels and buildings buried under hardened layers of mud. In recent days, they have found other survivors as well.

(Reuters, mja)