Nepal: 20-year-old Prabesh Nagarkoti saves seven lives, recalls "huge wave of water coming to us"

Prabesh Nagarkoti, a resident of Angitar, is being hailed as a hero for saving the lives of seven people, including his family members and complete strangers, as the floodwaters ravaged the village within minutes.

Recounting the harrowing experience, Prabesh stated that he was focused on his studies when the disaster began to unfold.

"I was studying when my grandfather came and told me that a flood was approaching our house. Immediately, I climbed to the roof of my house and saw a huge wave of water coming towards us," he said.

Prabesh credited his selfless actions to the values instilled in him by his sibling. "My brother always taught me to first save the lives of others. At that moment, I just thought of saving those around me," he added.

As the water levels rose rapidly, Prabesh acted with agility and presence of mind. He first ensured the safety of his mother and aunt before turning his attention to others in the vicinity who were caught off guard by the sudden deluge.

"I saved the lives of seven people, including a few strangers, by ensuring they climbed uphill. The whole village was flooded in a few minutes," Prabesh recalled, describing the speed at which the disaster struck.

Rasuwa and Nuwakot have been among the severely affected districts. So far, 279 bodies have been recovered from Chitwan, 216 from Nawalparasi East, 168 from Nawalparasi West, 65 from Gorkha, 55 from Dhading, 38 from Tanahun, and 23 from Rasuwa, according to Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Authority (NDRRMA).

A total of 3,925 people are missing, as per the NDRRMA, which includes 592 foreign nationals.

So far, 11,379 people have been rescued. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday informed that 158 Indian citizens had been evacuated safely from Nepal so far.

Unidentified bodies are being stored at 21 hospitals nationwide while authorities work on identification procedures. (ANI)