An elderly woman’s survival after a devastating flood in Nepal has captured attention as a rare moment of hope amid widespread tragedy. The woman, identified as 94-year-old Gunakeshari Bohara, is the sole survivor from a government-run care home in Rasuwa that was destroyed by a torrent of water and mud.

Rescue teams deployed an army digger to extract Bohara from the debris, and she was subsequently transported to the Kathmandu Trauma Centre. Due to dementia and the shock of the disaster, she was unable to communicate or provide her name initially. Her identity was confirmed by a female relative at the hospital on Thursday.

Medical staff described her survival as extraordinary. Dr. Imran, a medical officer at the trauma centre, noted the grim circumstances, with Bohara’s fellow residents and staff all perishing in the flood. “There has been so much tragedy but this is a remarkable experience,” he said. “We will probably never know what happened. It is a miracle.”

The flooding, which struck on Wednesday morning, has left an extensive toll. At the trauma centre, police set up a display listing 572 individuals reported missing and 31 survivors receiving treatment. Many families gathered anxiously around the lists, searching for their loved ones amid the aftermath.

Among them was 23-year-old Susmita Tamang, who has been searching for her uncle, 43-year-old Bijay Tamang. A lorry driver, he had been delivering cargo from the flood-affected region to Kathmandu and last made contact with his family at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, about two hours before the disaster struck. Following unconfirmed reports that some victims’ bodies were being transported by helicopter to the capital, Tamang visited several hospitals, the morgue, and the airport seeking information.

“We are hoping my uncle is unconscious in hospital or is somewhere without a phone signal,” she said. “We have got to keep looking.”

Authorities continue search and rescue operations amid difficult conditions, as families await news on those missing. The flood is among the worst to hit the region in recent years, causing widespread destruction and loss of life.