Captain Priya Adhikari, Nepal’s first woman helicopter captain, flew nearly 100 rescue missions over the disaster-hit region for 6 days. In Timure, Rasuwa, near the Tibet border, around 20 helicopters operated in a confined valley, sometimes with five or six trying to land at the same spot. The ground itself was dangerous, with thick mud making even landing hazardous. Pilots often had to keep the helicopter powered while survivors were brought aboard.

More than 200 people were evacuated from Timure in the first two days alone. But not every mission was about rescue. From the air, Adhikari also saw bodies scattered across areas devastated by the floods, a reminder of the human cost of the disaster.Her concern extended beyond those she knew. She continued searching for missing people, including the parents of an American-Indian woman and two Nepali men.