Archive · 11 Oct 2026
Nepal Cuts Missing Flood Victims’ Death Declaration Wait to 45 Days
A huge flood in Nepal destroyed homes, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure.
More than 1,400 people died, and over 5,000 are still missing.
Many families have been waiting to learn what happened to their loved ones.
Before this change, families had to wait 12 years before someone missing in a disaster could be legally declared dead.
Nepal’s president has now issued a rule that shortens that wait to about 45 days.
A death certificate can help families seek compensation and deal with property matters.
Rescue teams searched for weeks, but only 112 bodies have been identified and returned to families.
Nepal’s president issued an ordinance reducing the legal waiting period for declaring missing disaster victims dead from 12 years to about 45 days.
The change follows a devastating August 26 flood triggered by a mountain and glacier collapse on the China-Nepal border.
The flood killed more than 1,400 people, while more than 5,000 remain missing, including hundreds of foreign nationals.
Only 112 bodies have been identified and returned to families so far.
Families have been unable to obtain death certificates, affecting access to compensation and the resolution of property issues.
- Who
- Nepal’s president issued the ordinance; families of people missing after the flood are affected.
- What
- The legal waiting period to declare missing disaster victims dead was reduced from 12 years to about 45 days.
- When
- The ordinance was issued on Friday, after the August 26 flood.
- Where
- Nepal, following a flood triggered on the China-Nepal border.
- Why
- Families have been unable to obtain death certificates needed to seek compensation or resolve property issues.
Earlier legal process
Shortened process
Waiting period to declare missing victims dead
Earlier legal process
Under prior Nepalese law, a person had to remain missing for 12 years before being legally declared dead.
Shortened process
The ordinance reduces the period to about 45 days, allowing families to seek death certificates sooner.
- Previous waiting period
- 12 years
- New waiting period
- About 45 days
- Flood date
- August 26
- Reported deaths
- More than 1,400
- People still missing
- More than 5,000, including hundreds of foreign nationals
- Bodies identified and returned
- 112
- Ordinance
- An ordinance relating to disaster laws was issued by the president.