Reuters reports experts and officials from Nepal and China met three months before last week’s deadly floods to assess the risk of such disasters. The participants in May’s meeting reportedly called for joint efforts to strengthen the response to floods and other glacier- and weather-related hazards along the border with Tibet, where a massive wall of water, mud and debris crashed through a Himalayan river valley, killing hundreds. The death toll has now surpassed 1,000 as search and rescue teams race to find thousands of missing people.

A school principal in Nuwakot helped evacuate 900 students, just 13 minutes before the catastrophic flash flood completely washed away the school building. Rajendra Dawadi said a staff member burst into the classroom and shouted that a fast-approaching flood was headed their way. This is school principal Dawadi.

Rajendra Dawadi: “Other people saying that, other colleagues also saying, 'Sir, the flood is coming up to Betrawoti,' or some saying so. So, we immediately saying that. They stop the class, ring the bell, and we send the keeper’s whistle there, then go up here. … It’s an emotional attachment with this school, because I learned that same school, I get my own education from this school, and I am giving the education to the people from last 23 years.”