Kathmandu, Sept 6: Nepal’s devastating floods have killed 1,344 people and left nearly 5,000 missing, but as rescue teams continue their search across affected districts, authorities are facing another grim challenge — identifying the dead.
According to Nepal Police, 589 foreign nationals are among those still missing, while around 13,400 people have been rescued since the disaster struck on August 26.
The floods were triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border, unleashing a massive surge of water and debris into the Bhotekoshi River. The torrent swept through settlements in northern and central Nepal, destroying or damaging homes, vehicles, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure.
Authorities say the condition of many recovered bodies has made identification extremely difficult. Several bodies were found after being carried far downstream, while others remained buried in mud and water for days. Many were severely decomposed, badly damaged or recovered only in parts.
At least 85 children are among the recovered bodies, while around 500 bodies have been recovered with body parts missing, officials said.
Chitwan district has recorded the highest number of recovered bodies, with 362, followed by Nawalparasi East, Nawalparasi West, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Gorkha, Dhading and Tanahun, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).
Yet only 98 bodies had been formally identified and handed over to their families, highlighting the magnitude of the identification challenge.
Nepal Police has now begun collecting DNA samples from relatives of missing people to match them with unidentified bodies and human remains. Relatives in Kathmandu can provide samples at the Nepal Police Hospital, while those elsewhere can approach their nearest district police office.
Authorities said more than 1,000 unidentified bodies have already been buried after DNA samples were collected, allowing identification to be pursued later.
The grim task has also overwhelmed hospitals, where relatives of missing people continue to gather carrying photographs of their loved ones and examining images of unidentified bodies displayed at medical facilities.
The scale of the disaster has extended beyond Nepal. At least 43 people were killed on the Chinese side, while more than 500 people remained missing in Tibet, according to Chinese media reports.
Amid the continuing relief and rehabilitation operations, Nepal has renewed its call for international action on climate change.
Information and Communication Minister Bikram Timilsina said the government would ensure adequate relief supplies and prevent mismanagement in their distribution.
“Nepal demands climate justice at this moment and the international community should be serious about this,” Timilsina said, stressing the need for greater preparedness to deal with future climate-related disasters.
The disaster has also disrupted essential supplies to Kathmandu Valley after the Prithvi Highway, the principal road link connecting the capital with the rest of Nepal and India, was damaged at Krishnabhir in Dhading on August 30 following erosion by the Trishuli River.
Despite the disruption, authorities have managed to maintain LPG supplies through alternative routes. Nepal Oil Corporation said 87,877 cooking gas cylinders were brought into the Kathmandu Valley between September 3 and 6 by 18 companies.
The cylinders were transported from plants in Bara, Parsa, Makawanpur, Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Dhanusha and Mahottari districts.
Meanwhile, Nepal and South Korea have stepped up coordination on the rescue and relief effort. Foreign Ministers Shisir Khanal and Cho Hyun discussed ongoing search operations as well as efforts to locate missing South Korean nationals.
Khanal thanked Seoul for deploying an inter-agency rapid response team and the Korea Disaster Relief Team to flood-hit areas and for providing humanitarian assistance and relief materials. He also outlined Nepal’s priority of rebuilding resilient and durable infrastructure.
Cho expressed the “willingness of the Korean Government to support Nepal in the post-disaster reconstruction efforts” and called for greater cooperation between the two countries in highlighting the impact of climate change at international forums, including COP meetings.
The disaster has also raised concerns for Nepal’s tourism sector. Kathmandu has urged friendly countries to restrict travel advisories to specific flood-hit areas, maintaining that the rest of the country remains open and safe for visitors.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it and Nepal’s diplomatic missions abroad were engaging with friendly countries on the issue after the United States placed the entire country under a Level 2 travel advisory on September 4.
Tourism accounted for about 6.4 per cent of Nepal’s GDP and 15.2 per cent of total employment in 2024, according to World Bank data.
Even as authorities continue the search for missing people, fresh flooding has underscored the continuing risks. In Gorkha district’s Chumnubri Rural Municipality-4, the Namrung Khola overflowed early Sunday, sweeping away four houses and a suspension bridge.
Residents managed to flee after noticing the approaching flood, and no casualties were reported. Two small hydropower projects in the Namrung area were also damaged.
Authorities suspect the river may have been temporarily blocked near its source before releasing a sudden surge of mud and debris downstream. As the Namrung Khola flows into the Budhigandaki River, residents along the river have been urged to remain vigilant.
With thousands still missing and hundreds of recovered bodies yet to be identified, Nepal’s rescue operation has entered a painstaking phase in which finding survivors and giving families closure are proving equally urgent challenges.
