Nepal Floods: Bodies Buried Before Identification

In Nepal's Chitwan district, the catastrophic flash floods and mudslides have resulted in an overwhelming number of fatalities, forcing authorities to resort to temporary mass burials for over 250 unidentified bodies. The victims were carried hundreds of kilometers downstream by the Bhotekoshi River before recovery.

Officials carried out a temporary burial of approximately 100 victims on Saturday, with another 50 undergoing DNA sampling. This action has drawn criticism, particularly in predominantly Hindu Nepal, where cremation is the traditional funeral rite. Concerns have been raised that Hindu traditions are being disregarded.

Authorities state these burials are a temporary measure necessitated by health concerns and insufficient morgue capacity, emphasizing that bodies can be exhumed later if identified. However, former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai questioned the haste and lack of consultation with families of the missing.

Compounding the disaster's impact, fresh landslides on Sunday closed the main highway linking Kathmandu and Chitwan, hindering efforts to transport bodies and relief supplies. The sweltering heat and high humidity are accelerating decomposition, raising fears of potential disease outbreaks.