Nepal flash flood situation worsens as deaths cross 700; unidentified victims to be buried

As Nepal struggles for space to keep the mortal remains of flash flood victims, the death count has increased to 734 in the Himalayan nation, said the country’s disaster authority on Sunday. The count, however, is feared to rise further, as 2,498 people still remain missing for Wednesday’s tragedy.  

Nepal, a landlocked nation sandwiched between India and China, has now decided to bury the unidentified and unclaimed bodies in airtight bags; however, their DNA samples will be preserved for identification later. “Only bodies that cannot be identified will be managed by the government after preserving DNA and other evidence that could help establish their identity,” said Prime Minister Balendra Shah in a social media post on Saturday. 

More to follow…