Nepal Flood Horror : Water Recedes, But Children’s Fear Refuses to Fade

New Delhi : The floodwaters may have receded from parts of Nepal, but for thousands of children who witnessed death, destruction and the disappearance of loved ones, the nightmare is far from over. Sixteen-year-old Samikshya Dangol was returning home from school in Nuwakot on August 26 when she saw her father approaching to take her home as rising floodwaters forced the school to send students back.

A traffic police officer stopped them and warned them not to cross a bridge because the water level was rapidly rising. Believing the rest of the family had already reached safety, Samikshya and her father waited but soon discovered the devastating truth: her elder sister, brother and two aunts had gone missing in the floods.

After spending several days in a temporary shelter, she moved to her maternal uncle’s home, but the memories of that tragic morning continue to haunt her. She struggles to sleep, suddenly remembers moments spent with her siblings, breaks down in tears and remains deeply distressed. Samikshya is not alone.

Across Nuwakot, Rasuwa and neighbouring districts, children who survived the floods, witnessed the destruction or lost family members are now battling an invisible enemy fear. Some wake suddenly in the middle of the night, some withdraw into silence, while others panic at the slightest unexpected sound.

In Rasuwa, 21-month-old son of Karsang Tamang begins crying whenever he hears a loud noise; during the August 26 floods near Timure, his mother had to run while carrying him as terrified people screamed and fled, and since then even the sound of helicopters has frightened him. The scale of the disaster’s impact on children remains difficult to measure.

UNICEF estimates that around 17,000 children have been affected by the floods, while Nepal’s disaster authorities reported that 6,901 students from 19 schools in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading were affected. In Rasuwa and Nuwakot alone, 622 students were reportedly still missing after the Bhotekoshi flood.

Among those rescued was a six-year-old girl found in Timure on August 28 after an Armed Police Force search team heard her cries; injured and brought to Kathmandu, she is receiving treatment at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. Her mother, Geeta Magar, recalled that the child initially did not speak and simply stared at her, while doctors said she appeared to have forgotten some things after the flood and had also developed pneumonia.

For children who have lost parents or relatives, or are still waiting for missing loved ones to return, the emotional scars can be profound. Psychiatrist Dr Amit Jha warns that children can be particularly vulnerable after disasters because they may not yet have the emotional maturity to understand and manage fear and stress.

Sleep problems, rapid heartbeat, sweating and fast breathing can occur after a traumatic event, and if such symptoms persist for weeks, they may develop into anxiety or depression; for children who have lost loved ones, prolonged trauma can potentially develop into post-traumatic stress disorder.

The psychological impact is not limited to children directly caught in the floods those repeatedly exposed to disturbing images of floods and landslides on television or social media can also experience fear and distress. As Nepal begins rebuilding after the devastating floods, the greatest challenge may be helping its youngest survivors heal from wounds that cannot be seen the memories, fear and grief that remain long after the floodwaters have disappeared.