Survivors Recall Harrowing Experience in Nepal-Tibet Flooding

A couple from the San Francisco Bay Area, Anjana Raja and Pattabiraman Venkatesan, shared their terrifying experience with CBS News after surviving a devastating flash flood in Nepal and Tibet. On a pilgrimage to Tibet earlier this week, they were caught in the chaos when a mountain of water descended upon them.

“I knew I was going to die,” Raja told CBS News, recounting her fear when a torrent of water from a collapsed glacier in the Himalayas rushed towards them. This disaster has claimed nearly 600 lives, with approximately 2,500 people still missing. The flooding occurred in the mountainous border region of Nepal and Tibet on Wednesday.

The U.S. State Department reported that around 90 Americans are among the missing. The powerful waters first struck the Nepali village of Timure, close to where Raja and Venkatesan’s tour bus was located. The couple had traveled through Timure and were in the Rasuwa District of Nepal near the Nepal-China border when a massive, dark wave appeared.

Venkatesan described the moment, “It’s like 60, 70 feet, it looked like a tsunami, but dark black. I thought it was fire, a forest fire.” Raja quickly grabbed Venkatesan, urging him to flee, as they jumped off the bus. As thousands attempted to escape, cellphone footage showed some people being pulled into the floodwaters while others managed to reach higher ground for safety.

Raja and Venkatesan sprinted up steps to higher elevations. “Along the way, houses were coming down,” Venkatesan recalled. They heard the screams of those swept away by the flood. Raja expressed her horror at the destruction, “I saw death right in front of my eyes.” With the help of a guide, they reached a flat area on a nearby mountain after a treacherous climb.

The climb was challenging. Raja noted, “So tall up, I don’t know even how we climbed. It was really hard.” Venkatesan characterized the ascent as “narrow and so slippery,” with mud and rocks complicating their path.

They spent the night in a goat shed alongside other survivors including locals and tourists, before being airlifted to safety the next day. Remarkably, everyone from their tour bus survived. Venkatesan remarked on their survival, “The fact that we survived is nothing short of a miracle.” This experience has brought the couple renewed appreciation for life.

Reflecting on their ordeal, Venkatesan shared his thoughts, “Be good, do good, think good, and leave the rest to whoever is above us. That’s all I can say.”