Nepal floods: Green house that went viral standing amid raging water and debris, owner reveals what happened inside

A green house that appeared to withstand the force of Nepal’s devastating flash floods has become one of the most striking images from the disaster. But inside the house, six people were fighting to survive as floodwaters tore through the neighbourhood and nearby homes collapsed. Laxmi Pandey, one of the residents, has now recounted how she, her family and a neighbour were trapped inside the house during the August 26 floods along the Trishuli River before being rescued by local residents.

Pandey said she and her husband were at their shop, about five minutes away from home, when the flooding began. They immediately rushed back after realising the danger facing her mother-in-law and daughter.

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‘A flood is coming, let’s leave quickly’

Pandey recalled trying to persuade her mother-in-law to leave the house before it was too late.

“From there, my husband and I ran back frantically to save my mother-in-law and my daughter,” she said.

She told her mother-in-law, “Mummy ji, a flood is coming, we should run, let’s leave quickly.”

But her mother-in-law initially believed the water would not reach them.

“She said, ‘No, such a huge disaster has never happened here before, it won’t reach us.’ But right at that moment, the old bridge broke, and water gushed over from above,” Pandey recalled.

Realising that the route out was no longer safe, Pandey warned her family that they could not escape on foot.

Six people retreat upstairs as water surges

With the situation deteriorating rapidly, Pandey’s husband, father-in-law and a neighbour rushed into the house. As the floodwaters rose outside, the group moved upstairs in an attempt to stay out of reach of the water.

Pandey said the force of the flooding was so powerful that the house itself began shaking violently.

“It felt just like the massive shaking during the 2072 earthquake,” she said, referring to the 2015 Nepal earthquake. “The strong floodwaters from both sides were shaking our house violently.”

The destruction around them made the situation even more frightening. A neighbouring house collapsed as the family remained trapped inside.

“There seemed to be no chance of survival,” Pandey said.

Neighbours risk their lives to rescue family

Just when the family feared they might not make it out, neighbours stepped in.

Pandey said several local residents came together despite the danger and attempted to reach the house.

“But a few neighbours risked their own lives and came together to rescue us,” she said.

The rescue allowed all six people inside the house to escape unharmed.

‘We have been granted a second life’

Looking back at the ordeal, Pandey said the family now sees their survival as a matter of divine grace.

“Now we all feel very lucky. It is by God’s grace. Those four or five people came like manifestations of God to save us. We are thanking God right now. We have been granted a second life,” she said.

Pandey confirmed that all six people who were inside the house during the floods survived without injuries.

Nepal flood death toll crosses 900

The account comes as Nepal continues to deal with the aftermath of last week’s devastating floods. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), 939 people have died and 3,925 remain missing, including 592 foreign nationals.

Rescue teams continue to work across several affected districts, including Rasuwa and Nuwakot.

Indian Embassy issues guidance for identifying victims

The Indian Embassy in Nepal has also issued guidance for families trying to identify Indian nationals who died in the floods.

Relatives have been asked to assist the identification process by providing photographs of the victims or DNA profiles, as authorities continue efforts to establish identities and facilitate the repatriation of mortal remains.