KATHMANDU, August 29: A 97-year-old woman has been rescued alive after remaining trapped beneath rubble for several hours following devastating floods and landslides in Nepal.

Guna Maya Bohara was trapped under debris after floodwaters and landslides damaged a care facility in the disaster-hit region. Rescue personnel from the Nepal Police and Nepal Army launched an intensive operation after locating her beneath the wreckage.

The rescue operation continued for around four hours as teams carefully cleared the debris and worked to reach the elderly woman. She was eventually brought out alive with the help of an excavator.

Images of Bohara sitting in the bucket of the excavator after being pulled from the rubble quickly drew attention. Covered in mud but conscious, the 97-year-old was described by relatives as appearing like a warrior who had survived a battle.

Her great-nephew, Dipak Bohara, travelled from Kathmandu after learning about the incident. He described the moment she emerged from the rubble as extraordinary, saying her survival had given the family renewed hope amid the devastation.

Following her rescue, Bohara was taken to a hospital for medical examination and treatment. Despite spending hours trapped beneath the debris, she survived the ordeal and is recovering under medical supervision.

Her rescue has become one of the most remarkable survival stories to emerge from Nepal’s ongoing disaster, where rescue teams continue to search for people trapped or missing after floods and landslides.

The disaster has caused extensive destruction across several parts of Nepal. Floodwaters have damaged homes, roads, bridges and other infrastructure, while landslides have cut off communities and made access to affected areas difficult.

The Bhote Koshi River and other waterways have risen sharply in the affected areas, sweeping away structures and vehicles and leaving large quantities of mud and debris behind.

Rescue operations have been complicated by damaged roads, unstable terrain and the possibility of further landslides and flooding. Security personnel and emergency workers have been deployed across affected areas to search for survivors and provide assistance to stranded residents.

Helicopters have also been used to reach isolated communities where roads and bridges have been destroyed. Emergency teams are delivering food, medical supplies and other essential assistance while continuing search and rescue operations.

Authorities have warned that difficult terrain and continuing weather-related risks could slow relief efforts. In some locations, rescuers have had to suspend operations temporarily because of concerns over rising water levels and unstable ground.

Amid the scale of the destruction, Bohara’s rescue has provided a rare moment of hope. Her survival after hours beneath the rubble has encouraged rescue teams to continue searching carefully for others who may still be alive.

As relief and rescue operations continue, authorities are assessing the full extent of the damage and working to restore access to affected communities. Families remain anxious for information about relatives who are still missing.

The rescue of the 97-year-old has emerged as a powerful reminder of the importance of continued search operations during major disasters, with rescuers refusing to give up even after hours of difficult and dangerous work.