Archive · 29 Aug 2026
Nepal Morgues Overflow as Authorities Preserve Unidentified Bodies
Many bodies have been found in different parts of Nepal.
The morgues do not have enough space for all of them.
Officials are using dry ice to slow the bodies from deteriorating.
Police are taking photographs, fingerprints, and DNA samples.
They are also sharing facial images when they can.
The samples are sent to Kathmandu to help identify the people.
Without cold storage, the remains may last only about ten days to two weeks.
If some people cannot be identified, officials may bury them with numbered tags and keep the burial records.
Bodies have washed up hundreds of kilometers away in Nepal, overwhelming morgue capacity.
Authorities are using dry ice because many districts lack cold-storage infrastructure.
Police are photographing bodies, collecting fingerprints and DNA, and publishing facial images when possible.
Samples are being sent to Kathmandu for testing and identification.
Officials say remains can generally be preserved for only ten days to two weeks without proper refrigeration.
- Who
- Nepalese authorities and police are handling the unidentified bodies.
- What
- Authorities are preserving, documenting, testing, and potentially burying unidentified remains.
- When
- Officials say remains can be preserved for roughly ten days to two weeks without cold storage.
- Where
- Bodies have washed up hundreds of kilometers away in Nepal; samples are sent to Kathmandu.
- Why
- Morgues are overflowing and most affected districts lack cold-storage infrastructure.
- Preservation method
- Authorities have turned to dry ice.
- Identification measures
- Police are photographing bodies, collecting fingerprints and DNA samples, and publishing facial images where possible.
- Testing location
- Samples are sent to Kathmandu for testing.
- Preservation period
- Remains can be preserved for roughly ten days to two weeks without cold storage.
- Infrastructure problem
- Most of the affected districts lack cold-storage infrastructure.
- Possible next step
- Unidentified remains may be buried with numbered tags and recorded burial information.