Nepalese officials have identified only 20 of the 794 people who died after last week's flash floods, as preparations are made for mass burials before confirming identities. Hospital mortuaries in Kathmandu and surrounding areas are overwhelmed with bodies retrieved from flooded regions, while others are kept in makeshift shelters, complicating rescue efforts. More than 2,400 individuals remain missing, including 48 British nationals, while China reports an additional 15 missing in Tibet, though it is unclear if this includes those reported by Nepal.
Many recovered bodies are severely decomposed due to prolonged exposure to water and mud, with some found nearly 100 miles from the flood's epicenter and others in rivers in neighboring India. The Nepal government has ordered that all unidentified and unclaimed bodies be buried in mass graves after DNA samples are collected for future identification. An official stated, 'We have to do this to prevent a public health crisis. They will be given dignified burials, and we will take photographs of the bodies and DNA samples so that they can hopefully be identified at some point in the future.'
Medics are seen carrying the body of a flood victim in Chitwan, while an earthmover prepares a burial site for victims. Officials report that the scale of the disaster has overwhelmed existing infrastructure, making it impossible to keep bodies until they can be identified. Emotional scenes unfolded outside hospitals as families searched for missing loved ones.
At the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, around 60 bodies from the flood zone are in the morgue, which has a capacity of only 50. Dr. Gopal Sedain, a hospital spokesman, noted that they have only managed to identify one body so far. 'It has been impossible to identify any of the others and that is heartbreaking for us and their relatives,' he said.
Devi Ghat town suffered extensive damage from the floods, with livestock and homes destroyed. Posters of missing individuals line hospital walls, providing contact details and last known locations. Many families are desperate for information, with one man, Prem, expressing his frustration after multiple visits to the hospital in search of his cousin.
The decision to bury unidentified bodies adds to the distress for families, particularly for those who adhere to Hindu or Buddhist traditions that emphasize cremation. Shaligram, a family member searching for his brother, expressed his hope that if buried, they could later identify him for a proper cremation.
Similar scenes are reported at other hospitals in the area, where families gather to post missing posters and register details of their loved ones. The Kathmandu Trauma Centre is treating around 50 rescued individuals, while its morgue is filled beyond capacity. Ritu Raj Aral, a hospital spokesman, acknowledged the challenges of adhering to traditional practices during such desperate times.