Nepal Flood Survivors Face Grim Reality Amidst Lingering Trauma

The mood in Nepal is heavy following a devastating flash flood that has ravaged communities near the Tibetan border, with around 1,300 people still missing. Abishek Adhikari, whose relatives live in the affected area, described the scene as one of overwhelming despair.

"No one is smiling, everyone knows what awaits," Adhikari told Dagens Nyheter. While his immediate family is safe, many of his relatives are among the missing. Adhikari, who was two hours away when the disaster struck, traveled to the region and was met with torrential rain and the sight of bodies.

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No one is smiling, everyone knows what awaits.

"You notice that the authorities are struggling to keep up. Bodies are likely still lying there after the floods. I think it will take weeks to recover all of them," he said. Blocked roads have hampered rescue efforts and prevented Adhikari from reaching his relatives directly, though he managed to speak with his uncle by phone. His uncle reported a lack of electricity and dwindling phone battery life.

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You notice that the authorities are struggling to keep up. Bodies are likely still lying there after the floods. I think it will take weeks to recover all of them.

Adhikari plans to travel to his relatives on Thursday with power banks and lights, but the journey, which once took two hours, is now expected to take over ten due to destroyed roads. The slow pace of recovery and the scale of the destruction are reminiscent of the 2015 earthquake, which killed thousands and displaced many.

"Many who lost their homes in 2015 essentially became internally displaced persons in the capital, Kathmandu. I am afraid the same thing will happen again," Adhikari stated, reflecting a widespread fear of renewed displacement in the wake of this latest catastrophe.

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Many who lost their homes in 2015 essentially became internally displaced persons in the capital, Kathmandu. I am afraid the same thing will happen again.