Key facts
- Eight-year-old Zoyal Ghale survived Nepal's floods by climbing trees after fleeing his school.
- Ghale was reunited with his mother, Matti Maya Tamang, after she had feared both her children were dead.
- The floods were caused by a glacier collapse near Langtang Lirung mountain.
- At least 580 people have been confirmed dead and around 2,500 are missing in Nepal and China's Tibet.
- UNICEF estimates that 17,000 children have been affected by the floods in northern Nepal.
An 8-year-old boy, Zoyal Ghale, who survived Nepal's deadly floods by climbing trees, has been reunited with his mother, Matti Maya Tamang, after she had begun to fear both her children had perished. The floods, triggered by a glacier collapse near the Langtang Lirung mountain, devastated northern districts, causing widespread destruction and significant casualties. Ghale was found alone with a broken leg and cuts, having fled his school into a forest. His mother, after days of searching shelters and collection points, was able to contact a Reuters journalist who had met Ghale. This contact led to the reunion, with Tamang expressing immense relief after having already found her younger son alive. UNICEF is collaborating with the Nepalese government to identify and reunite children separated from their families, with an estimated 17,000 children affected by the disaster.