17 August, Kathmandu. Suchit Joshi of Vidur municipality-1 was at work regularly on 10th August like any other day. Joshi, working at Tribhuvan Trishuli Multipurpose Campus, was engaged in the work of admission of undergraduate students.

While he was busy with campus work, a relative called him and informed him about the flood. Dai said on the phone, "There has been a big flood." Syafrubesi has started to flow.

Joshi, a resident of the coastal area, assessed the flood of that day as the same as the floods that have come in the past. At first, he ignored the forecast, thinking that there would be no major flood.

After a while, he saw the flood coming with a loud noise. And he said to everyone in the campus, 'The flood has come. Run away.' He hurriedly got on the motorcycle.

Joshi understood the situation of his family in the middle of the rapid flood. When he saw his brother moving forward with a scooter, he felt that the family is safe. After seeing his brother moving forward, he thought that the other members must have also moved to a safe place.

Joshi told Unlaikhbar, "I started uphill by putting one of the security guards of the bank on the bike. I did not know that my family was below.

Four out of eight members of his family are still uncontactable. Wife Manju Shrestha, seven-year-old daughter Sumansingh Joshi, brother's wife and son could not be found.

Joshi says, 'I tried a lot to find them. I took a motorcycle and went around the flooded periphery many times. Couldn't meet anywhere.'

His brother's infant survived. He said that the mother was able to take the child with her and go to a safe place, so both their lives were saved.

Joshi searched all the surrounding areas in search of family members. From morning to late night, all possible places were visited. Tired of pain, Suchit Joshi says, 'My mind is hanging. No matter where I look, I can't find it.

He once dared to look for a family member by entering Trishuli. But the police and friends stopped them from entering the river.

When some relatives meet after the flood, they also hope that they will be able to meet their family members. While searching for family members, Joshi met his own nephew and uncle. Two local people rescued the nephew.

When he met his nephew, his courage increased. He says, 'I kept searching to see if there was anyone else. We found three more people. He rescued his uncle Ram Joshi.

Joshi's team, which is active in the search and rescue of family members, has now reached five people. Rescued an elderly woman trapped in the flood in front of her house and brought her to a safe place.

However, Joshi became paranoid when he could not meet four members of his own family. Shout, shout. Called by name. I became like a daughter-in-law," he said. "No family member's voice came from anywhere." He also used that method to see if the children could hear whistling. But every attempt failed.

"All my efforts have been wasted," says Joshi with a tired and pained face as he searches for his family.

Along with the security personnel assigned for rescue, the family members started searching. During that time, three bodies were found. But the bodies were not identifiable.

We found three dead bodies in Trishuli. It was not recognizable. The dead body was infested with worms. We met with our heads pressed,'' Joshi narrated the sad situation. The dead bodies were taken out from behind his house. Gargarhana was also found. He believes that the jewelery may have belonged to him as it belonged to a neighboring jewelery shop.

Suchit Joshi's daughter was studying in class 1. She used to study at Gyankunj School. Every now and then he gets angry remembering what his daughter said to him. Seeing other's children cut off their father's head makes them remember their daughter even more.

Remembering his lost daughter, Joshi says, "When a helicopter came from above, Baba used to say that a helicopter has come." When I see someone else's child cutting off their father's head, I remember my daughter cutting off my head.'

He has kept his daughter's photo on his mobile wallpaper. As soon as he opens his mobile phone, he gets even more shocked when he sees his daughter's photo.

Despite the loss of four family members, Suchit Joshi, who did not lose heart, comforts the victims like him. He urges them not to lose courage by showing their own example. Asking those who have suffered loss of life and property due to the flood, Joshi says not to panic. You should not panic either.

Picture: Chandra Bahadur Ale

Lilu Dumre is working in the political bureau of Online Khabar.