Australian Family's Harrowing Escape Amid Nepal Floods

A Queensland couple's holiday in Nepal turned into a nightmare as they found themselves fleeing an inland tsunami, which was triggered by a collapsed glacier. Pramila Dangol and Clinton Baker, along with their three-year-old daughter, Prammisha, had to scramble up a mountain to avoid the devastating floodwaters that swept through the village of Betrawati on August 26.

With just 15 minutes of warning before the catastrophic wave struck, the family acted swiftly. Clinton Baker carried his daughter on his back as they raced uphill, escaping the chaos below. "At the time, you heard the sound, the rumbling through the ground," he recounted later. From their vantage point on the mountain, they witnessed buildings and people being engulfed by the flood, with desperate scenes unfolding as individuals sought refuge on rooftops that were submerged by the rushing waters.

Tragically, the family's connection to Nepal has been irreparably altered. Ms. Dangol's childhood home, a place filled with cherished memories, was washed away in the disaster. "In that house, I had Mum, Dad, you know, the memories, a lot of our childhood photos, everything," she lamented. Over a week after the flood, the couple is still searching for Ms. Dangol's extended family, grappling with the grim reality that they may not find any survivors. "We know that no-one [is] alive, but at least we can find the dead bodies," Baker expressed somberly. The couple, who own a restaurant in Bundaberg, had originally traveled to Nepal for family ceremonies, marking their daughter’s first visit to the country. Despite the trauma, Mr. Baker is trying to remain positive as they prepare to return home.

Source: www.abc.net.au