A remarkable story of survival has emerged from Nepal, where a 64-year-old woman has been pulled alive from the wreckage of her home, more than ten days after it was partially buried by a catastrophic mudslide. Chandika Shrestha, the elderly survivor, was discovered by rescue teams responding to the disaster, who quickly organized an emergency airlift to transfer her to a nearby hospital for urgent medical care.
The incident, which unfolded in a mudslide-prone region of Nepal, has stunned rescue workers and local communities alike. Most victims trapped in similar mud-buried structures rarely survive beyond 72 hours without access to clean water, food, or medical attention. Shrestha’s ordeal, which stretched to more than 240 hours, has been widely described as a medical and survival miracle by emergency responders.
Local disaster management officials confirmed that search teams were conducting a final sweep of partially damaged structures when they detected faint signs of life from the debris. After hours of careful excavation to avoid triggering further mud slides, crews were able to reach Shrestha and extract her from the collapsed portion of her home. She was responsive when found, though severely dehydrated and malnourished from her extended entrapment.
Rescue helicopters were immediately dispatched to the remote, landslide-hit area to transport her to a tertiary care hospital in the capital, Kathmandu, where she is currently receiving ongoing treatment for her condition. Medical teams have reported that she is in stable condition considering the circumstances of her survival.
Nepal’s mountainous terrain and monsoon season make it particularly vulnerable to deadly landslides and mudslides each year, with hundreds of people killed in such disasters annually. This extraordinary survival story has brought a glimmer of hope to a region still reeling from widespread disaster-related destruction and loss of life, with many residents describing Shrestha’s rescue as a much-needed miracle amid tragedy.