- More than 1,200 people were killed and about 4,750 remain missing in Nepal and China’s Tibet region, after a huge wave of mud and debris destroyed towns, roads, bridges and several hydropower dams.
- Some survivors sheltering in relief camps after deadly floods in Nepal were struggling to obtain essential medicines and cash, even as authorities provided food and other basic supplies to thousands of displaced people.
- Authorities in Nepal have been burying recovered bodies in the meantime until they can be identified.
- To help match remains with missing people, authorities are preserving DNA samples, photographing distinguishing facial features, and recording other identifying details.
- Families in Nepal held symbolic funerals for relatives who remain missing, hoping to free their souls after they were presumed dead.
- In Hindu tradition, cremation is a vital final rite, and for some families, performing the ceremony without the bodies of their loved ones has brought a measure of spiritual release.
- Suresh Kumar Karanjit, staying at a relief centre in Devighat, Nuwakot district, lost his younger brother in the floods and said the medicine available at the camp did not match his prescriptions for his heart condition.
- With no cash to buy his regular medicine, Karanjit bought it after selling a carton of noodles he received as relief for 400 rupees (US$2.60).
- Karanjit said, “We have been living here since a week. The relief materials are being provided, which is good. But there is a lack of medicine.”
- Nepal’s disaster chief, Dharam Raj Uprety, said health camps staffed by doctors and stocked with medicine have been set up at each relief center, while authorities are also focusing on hygiene and sanitation to reduce the risk of disease.
- At least 1,252 people were killed and more than 4,200 are missing, according to the country’s disaster management agency. China as of late Wednesday said 21 people were killed and 541 were missing on the Tibet side of the border.
- Nearly 4,000 people displaced in Nepal are staying in 34 relief centres. In Bidur town, along the Trishuli River, residents were using a temporary zip line to cross between the riverbanks, with army personnel assisting them.
More than 1,200 people have died in the devastating floods that struck Nepal on August 26, with 4,750 still missing. Families are holding symbolic funerals to liberate the souls of their loved ones, as authorities work to identify recovered bodies.156
The floods, caused by a glacier collapse, have been among the deadliest in recent years, destroying critical infrastructure and displacing nearly 4,000 people into relief camps. Survivors are facing dire conditions, struggling to obtain essential medicines. Suresh Kumar Karanjit, a survivor, shared his plight: “We have been living here since a week. The relief materials are being provided, which is good. But there is a lack of medicine.”10141516
In response, Nepal’s disaster chief, Dharam Raj Uprety, stated that health camps stocked with medicine have been established at each relief center, focusing on hygiene and sanitation to mitigate disease risks. Meanwhile, residents in Bidur town are using makeshift zip lines to cross the Trishuli River, with army personnel assisting them.11
As the recovery efforts continue, the emotional toll on families remains profound, with many performing rituals without the bodies of their loved ones, seeking spiritual release amid the tragedy.7
Authorities are also preserving DNA samples and other identifying details to help match remains with missing persons, as the nation grapples with the aftermath of this catastrophic event.4
“Authorities are preserving DNA samples and photographing facial features to match remains with the missing, while nearly 4,000 displaced people stay in 34 relief centres. Nepal's disaster chief says health camps with doctors and medicine have been set up at each center, but survivors like Suresh Kumar Karanjit report shortages.”
CP24
