Archive · 29 Aug 2026
Nepal Flood Morgues Overflow as Families Seek Missing Relatives
Severe floods in Nepal swept away people and carried some bodies far downstream.
Bodies have been found in places far from where people were last seen.
Some morgues became too full to store all the remains.
In Chitwan, officials received 233 bodies, but only four were identified.
The other 229 were buried after DNA samples and records were collected.
Families are visiting with photographs to search for missing relatives.
Investigators are using fingerprints, DNA and personal clues such as tattoos and jewellery.
India says about 320 of its citizens remain uncontactable, although different authorities have reported different totals.
The stored records may still help families identify relatives later.
Floodwaters carried bodies from Rasuwa and Nuwakot downstream to Chitwan, Tanahun and Nawalparasi.
Chitwan had received 233 bodies by Saturday, but only four had been identified.
Authorities began burying 229 unidentified bodies after collecting DNA samples and assigning identification numbers.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said about 320 Indian nationals remained uncontactable, while Nepal separately listed 167 Indians missing in Nepal.
Police and medical teams are using fingerprints, photographs, post-mortems, DNA, tattoos and other clues to identify remains.
- Who
- Flood victims, their families, Nepali authorities and missing Indian nationals are involved.
- What
- Authorities are recovering, storing, identifying and, where necessary, burying bodies after severe floods and landslides in Nepal.
- When
- The report describes developments by Saturday; accompanying figures are dated August 29, 2026.
- Where
- Bodies have been recovered in Rasuwa and Nuwakot and carried downstream to Chitwan, Tanahun, Nawalparasi and Pokhara.
- Why
- Flooding overwhelmed morgues and carried remains far from where people disappeared, making identification increasingly difficult as decomposition advances.
- Bodies in Chitwan
- 233 had been brought to Chitwan by Saturday.
- Identified in Chitwan
- Only four of the 233 bodies had been identified.
- Unidentified remains
- 229 bodies were buried after DNA samples and identification numbers were recorded.
- Temporary storage
- An unused building in Bharatpur was being converted to hold about 250 bodies.
- Indian nationals uncontactable
- India’s Ministry of External Affairs reported about 320 Indians still uncontactable after the disaster.
- Bodies transferred from Pokhara
- 102 bodies were moved for identification and post-mortem examinations after local facilities ran short of space.
- Preservation limits
- At roughly 2 to 6 degrees Celsius, remains can be preserved for about 10 days to two weeks.