Nepal authorities have decided to bury 229 unidentified and unclaimed bodies recovered from the southern Chitwan district following the devastating flash floods in the Bhote Koshi River, citing the risk of infection and the deteriorating condition of the remains.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), 626 bodies recovered from the floods had been collected across the country as of 10 a.m. Saturday. Chitwan accounted for the highest number, with 233 bodies recovered.
The decision to bury the unidentified bodies was taken as the number of casualties from the massive floods of August 26 continued to rise, putting additional pressure on hospitals and temporary facilities in Chitwan.
Health experts warned that prolonged storage of decomposing bodies and the resulting foul smell could increase the risk of infections and potentially contribute to the spread of disease. Following the warning, the Chitwan District Security Committee decided on Saturday to bury all unidentified and unclaimed bodies.
The District Administration Office, Chitwan, said the bodies would be buried in an open area in Devghat, located in Ward No. 1 of Bharatpur Metropolitan City, beginning Saturday.
Authorities said DNA samples would be collected from every body before burial. Identification and reference numbers will also be recorded to facilitate identification by relatives at a later stage.
A senior official said hospitals in Chitwan had sufficient facilities to preserve only about 30 bodies for an extended period.
“As the number of dead bodies piled up, we used a house as a cooling centre where the bodies were kept,” the official said, adding that the facility also eventually ran out of space, leaving authorities with no alternative but to proceed with burials.
The official said the burial process would follow international guidelines and comply with provisions under the Unidentified and Unclaimed Bodies Management (First Amendment) Directive, 2083.
The flash floods, which struck Nepal after the Bhote Koshi River surged on August 26, have caused widespread destruction, with search and rescue operations continuing across several affected districts.
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