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‘We Had to Do This to Set His Soul Free’: Nepal Families Hold Symbolic Funerals for Flood Victims Still Missing
🇵🇰 Pakistan /Disasters & Emergencies

‘We Had to Do This to Set His Soul Free’: Nepal Families Hold Symbolic Funerals for Flood Victims Still Missing

From Dawn · () English

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

At a glance

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  • Families in Nepal began symbolic Hindu funerals for relatives missing after a glacial-collapse disaster sent water, rocks and debris across the China-Nepal border on August 26.
  • Rescuers have recovered more than 1,100 bodies, while nearly 4,500 people remain missing and teams continue searching tunnels and debris.
  • Nepal’s leaders and scientists linked the disaster to the risks facing the warming Himalayas and called for international responsibility in disaster response.

After days of searching shelters and mortuaries, some Nepali families have begun performing last rites for relatives who disappeared in the floods. They burn straw or Kush-grass effigies in Hindu rituals, symbolically releasing the dead when no body has been found.

We had to do this to set his soul free, so that he is at peace and happy wherever he is.

— Dolma Newar TamangShe explained why her family held a symbolic funeral for her husband, who remained missing after the floods.

Dolma Newar Tamang held a funeral for her husband, who was traveling toward China when the disaster struck. Standing beside her sobbing son, she said, “We had to do this to set his soul free, so that he is at peace and happy wherever he is.” She said she learned of the disaster, called him repeatedly and received no answer.

The flash floods began after a high-altitude glacial collapse on August 26, sending freezing water, rocks and debris through villages and homes in the Himalayan region. Emergency teams have recovered more than 1,100 bodies, while nearly 4,500 people remain missing.

Miracles do happen. At this point, I do not want to completely give up hope.

— Shisir KhanalNepal’s foreign minister described the continuing search for people missing in the disaster.

Rescuers continue searching, including inside hydropower tunnels buried under packed sludge. So far, teams have recovered only bodies from the tunnels, but they are still digging, drilling and blasting through the debris. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said he did not want to abandon hope, telling AFP, “Miracles do happen. At this point, I do not want to completely give up hope.”

a serious indication

— Balendra ShahNepal’s prime minister used the phrase to describe the catastrophe’s warning about risks facing the Himalayan nation.

The disaster has also intensified anger over the vulnerability of Nepal, a rural country that has contributed little to global greenhouse gas emissions but faces the effects of warming. Prime Minister Balendra Shah called the catastrophe “a serious indication” of the risks confronting the Himalayan nation. He said, “Climate change is a global contribution, and disaster response is also a global responsibility.” Reconstruction could cost billions of dollars, while Nepal has limited resources to respond.

Climate change is a global contribution, and disaster response is also a global responsibility.

— Balendra ShahShah called for international responsibility in responding to climate-linked disasters.
About this summary

Originally published by Dawn in English. 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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