Nepal begins mass burial of unidentified flood victims; allows limited foreign rescue aid

Nepal has commenced the mass burial of unidentified bodies recovered from the Trishuli River, citing public health concerns as the remains have decomposed to a point where visual identification is no longer possible. Pramod Pathak, deputy inspector of the Armed Police Force in Kurintaar, informed EFE that authorities are managing the final disposition of the recovered bodies.

According to the Chitwan District Police Office, 100 out of 269 bodies recovered from the river had been buried by Saturday, with the remaining to be interred gradually. Police sources indicated that the bodies and human remains stored at various facilities have deteriorated significantly, making identification difficult. The decision to bury the unidentified and unclaimed bodies was made under the Directive on the Management of Unidentified and Unclaimed Bodies of 2026 as an emergency measure to prevent further decomposition and ensure a safe, dignified, and legal disposal.

DNA samples will be collected from all cadavers before burial, and detailed records will be maintained using unique identification numbers, police sources explained. The chosen burial site is an open area in Devghat, central Nepal. Each body will be assigned a unique identification number engraved on a steel plate, enabling relatives to locate and exhume the remains if DNA analysis later confirms a match.

This measure comes as authorities continue to recover bodies from the Trishuli River following the flash flood that devastated northern Nepal on Wednesday. The tragedy has resulted in 682 confirmed deaths across Nepal and the Tibet region of China, with approximately 3,000 people still unaccounted for. The government has also reversed its earlier decision to restrict international search and rescue teams from affected areas. It will now allow foreign specialists to assist with tunnel operations, forensic identification, and DNA testing, following requests from various countries.