For Gyan Singh of Maloh village in Mandi’s Jattvibedernagar subdivision, the morning of August 26 began like any other working day. By the evening, he was stranded on a hilltop, watching floodwaters tear through a hydropower project in Nepal and wondering whether he would ever see his family again.After spending nearly two terrifying days marooned on the hill following a devastating flashflood in Nepal, Singh has finally returned home safely. Rescued with the help of the Nepalese army and a helicopter, he reached his native village on September 1.Recalling the ordeal, Singh became emotional as he described how a routine morning at the 216-MW hydropower project on the Trishuli river suddenly turned into a fight for survival.Singh, who has worked at hydropower projects for 23 years, had travelled to Nepal about eight months ago along with other staff after working with a hydropower construction company in Chamba.“I spoke to my family around 6.30 am and told them I was leaving for duty. I had no idea that within a few hours, our lives would change completely,” he said. Around 9.30 am, while Singh and other workers were engaged at the project site, strong winds suddenly swept through the area. Moments later, a deafening sound came from the project gates. Then came the water.A massive surge of floodwater swept through the project area with terrifying speed, leaving the workers barely any time to react.Singh somehow managed to move towards safety and alerted other workers to flee to higher ground. As the water rose rapidly, he and others eventually took refuge on a hill. “There was hardly any time to understand what was happening. We could only run for our lives,” he recalled. For nearly two days, the hilltop became their refuge. Cut off from roads and access routes, they waited anxiously, not knowing when, or whether, help would arrive.Singh said around 110 people at the project managed to survive, but one of his colleagues was swept away by the powerful current. “Near the powerhouse, an entire village was inundated within minutes. The flood carried debris and huge boulders everywhere. It was a horrible scene. Several families lost their loved ones, and many became homeless,” he said.The Nepalese army eventually reached the stranded workers. Singh was taken to safety and later evacuated by helicopter, bringing an end to nearly two days of uncertainty.For his family in Maloh, however, those hours had been a nightmare. His wife, Kalavati, and son, Suraj, said they were devastated when news of the Nepal disaster began appearing on television and social media. They spent a sleepless night on August 26, desperately waiting for a call from Singh.The following day, their mobile phone finally rang. Singh had called his son to say that he had been rescued and was safe. “It was a miracle. We had lost hope and feared the worst. God saved him,” the family said.Singh has worked in hydropower projects for more than two decades and faced difficult conditions before, but nothing prepared him for what he witnessed in Nepal. “I am thankful to God that I reached home safely. Hundreds lost their lives in that unimaginable disaster. I will never forget what I saw,” he said.Back in Maloh, surrounded by his family, Singh is safe. But the memories of the roaring water, the devastated village and two uncertain nights on a hilltop are likely to remain with him for the rest of his life.