Nepal Begins Mass Burials of Unidentified Flood Victims in Chitwan

Authorities in Nepal's Chitwan district have begun temporary mass burials of unidentified flood victims in forested trenches, as recovered bodies continue to decompose and pose health risks.

Police Inspector Anil Thapa, who is coordinating the body-handling operations, confirmed that 199 bodies have been interred so far. The remains were carried hundreds of kilometres downstream by the Bhotekoshi River from the epicentre of the devastating flash floods.

Before burial, officials extract DNA samples and assign each body a reference number to aid future identification. Thapa explained that DNA samples are also being collected from first-degree relatives — parents, children, and siblings — so that matching can occur later.

"If DNA matches, we can extract the dead bodies from the ground," Thapa said, noting that many bodies had remained submerged for days and were already decomposing when recovered.

The burials follow internationally accepted disaster-management protocols, including those of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Officials stressed the measure is temporary, driven by health concerns and limited storage capacity.

Once families verify identities, they will be permitted to exhume remains for proper funeral rites. This is particularly significant in Nepal, a predominantly Hindu nation where cremation is the traditional practice. Funeral rites have already been held for some identified victims.

Nepal's disaster agency reported 903 confirmed deaths, with 4,247 people — including 592 foreigners — still missing.