Nepal Begins Mass Burials of Unidentified Flood Victims as Search Continues

Nepal has begun mass burials of unidentified victims of last week's catastrophic flash flood, as recovery teams continue to pull bodies from rivers and debris and families desperately search for missing relatives.

In the Devghat forest in Chitwan district, nearly 200 kilometers from the flood-ravaged valleys of Rasuwa, authorities have dug hundreds of graves. The forest, once a popular spot for morning walks, now serves as a temporary burial ground for bodies too badly decomposed for identification.

"We were left with no other option and had to take this step. Our concern was the risk to public health posed by the rapid decomposition of the bodies," said Ganesh Arya, chief district officer of Bharatpur, Chitwan.

On Saturday, authorities buried 96 unidentified bodies, with plans to bury more than 100 others on Sunday. The flash flood, triggered by a glacial collapse along Nepal's border with China, has killed about 750 people, with more than 3,000 still reported missing.

Around 100 rescue workers, police officers, and officials are documenting the dead, photographing remains, and preparing bodies for burial. Every burial site is carefully recorded, with identification markers placed both above and below ground and precise location data logged. DNA samples have been collected from the unidentified dead, allowing authorities to locate and exhume remains if victims are later identified through family claims or genetic testing.

India has sent a forensic team to assist Nepali authorities with DNA analysis, and Nepal is also liaising with a team from China.

At Bharatpur Hospital, the stench of decomposition is overwhelming. About 125 bodies lie on the floor inside, many showing advanced decay after days in floodwaters, overwhelming a mortuary designed for just 50 bodies. "The bodies are decaying fast," said Inspector Anil Thapa. "Of the bodies we have recovered so far, more than half are beyond recognition. Many have no visible faces."

A few hundred meters away, the Chitwan Expo Centre has become the focal point for grieving families. More than 200 people gathered outside a hall where photographs of recovered bodies were expected to be displayed for visual identification. Many carried backpacks and luggage, suggesting they had traveled from distant districts. Several families said they had arrived the previous day but had still not been allowed inside.

Nearby, an ageing single-storey house has been converted into a temporary storage facility for bodies awaiting identification. Body bags are stacked on bunk beds in dark rooms, with dry ice near entrances and air conditioners and industrial cooling units running continuously to slow decomposition.

Recovery operations remain in full swing. A vehicle carrying 13 bodies arrived at the facility, and by 10 a.m., six ambulances were parked outside while another vehicle waited for space to unload. The constant arrival of bodies underscores the scale of the disaster and the challenge facing authorities.

The toll is evident on those handling the bodies. "Once I come here to work, I am unable to think about food," Thapa said, his uniform drenched with sweat. "Forget eating, I don't even feel like drinking water."