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‘At capacity’: Kathmandu shelters struggle as flood victims and mourners arrive

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Flood victims and families seeking funeral arrangements have crowded Kathmandu shelters and temples nine days after massive floods struck Nepal.
  • Monasteries are limiting admissions by region, while food, relief supplies and available rooms continue to shrink.
  • Families must hold funeral rites in the capital because hospitals there receive the bodies of many flood victims, leaving some people to pitch tents for lodging and ceremonies.

“Only people from the Timure region can enter here.” The iron gate of Mustang Gumba, a Buddhist monastery in Kathmandu, stayed closed to a woman whose hometown in Nuwakot had been devastated by floods.

Only people from the Timure region can enter here.

· Mustang Gumba officialThe statement explains why a flood-displaced woman from Nuwakot was denied entry to the monastery shelter.

She had arrived with a backpack and her belongings, looking for shelter on the ninth day after the disaster. A monastery official turned her away because the facility was accepting residents from Timure. “Right now, we’re already at full capacity just with displaced people from Timure,” the official said.

The same strain is visible across Kathmandu. Flood victims and relatives of those killed have come to the capital to locate remains and arrange funerals, but shelters and temple facilities are running out of room. Even after monasteries restrict admission by region or redirect displaced people elsewhere, their remaining food and relief supplies continue to dwindle.

Right now, we’re already at full capacity just with displaced people from Timure.

· Mustang Gumba officialThe official described the shelter’s limited capacity after the floods.

Yellow Gumba, about a 10-minute drive from Mustang Gumba, had reportedly housed 400 Timure residents until recently. Some were sent to other monasteries because of the lack of space. “Our situation is still tight in light of our remaining food and relief supplies,” a person affiliated with the temple said.

Our situation is still tight in light of our remaining food and relief supplies.

· Person affiliated with Yellow GumbaThe statement describes shortages after the monastery housed hundreds of displaced people.

Funeral arrangements have driven many people to Kathmandu because the bodies are sent to large hospitals in the capital. Hindu funerals last 13 days, during which families perform memorial rites, limit contact with outsiders and need accommodation. Mahadev Temple’s Kriya Putri Bhawan, which provides lodging during the funeral period, has filled all 17 rooms. “More than 10 people a day come to ask about funeral venues, and we simply can’t handle the volume,” an official said. With formal accommodation unavailable, some families have pitched tents to sleep and conduct funeral rites.

More than 10 people a day come to ask about funeral venues, and we simply can’t handle the volume.

· Mahadev Temple officialThe official described demand for funeral accommodation and facilities in Kathmandu.
About this summary

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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