Nepal has begun burying victims of the devastating floods while thousands of people remain missing. Authorities are documenting every burial and collecting DNA samples so families can identify their loved ones even after they have been laid to rest.
Hundreds of unidentified victims are being buried in Devghat forest, nearly 200 kilometers from the area devastated by the floods just days ago. For thousands of families, the tragedy is far from over: more than 3,000 people remain missing.
Catastrophic flooding swept through valleys along Nepal’s border with China after a glacial collapse. Torrents of water and mud destroyed everything in their path, leaving behind devastated communities, piles of debris and thousands of missing people.
In a single day, authorities buried 96 unidentified victims. More than 100 additional bodies were expected to be buried afterward. Many of the remains had spent days in the water and had decomposed so severely that the victims could no longer be identified visually.
The mass burials are not only the result of authorities being unable to establish the victims’ identities. Temporary morgues are also overwhelmed, while the rapidly decomposing bodies are creating a public health risk.
Authorities are nevertheless trying to preserve the possibility of identification in the future. Every grave is carefully documented, special markers are placed at burial sites and precise records are kept. DNA samples are also collected from the victims so relatives can identify their loved ones even after burial.
As rescuers continue searching for bodies in rivers and among the debris, families of the missing are gathering in Chitwan. They hope to find their loved ones among photographs of the recovered victims.
For some families, the tragedy has already come to an end. For thousands of others, it is still unfolding.
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