Mass burials of unidentified victims continue in Nepal as death toll exceeds 1,000 one week after flash floods

Many were outraged and expressed their disapproval after the government revealed it intended to carry out mass “temporary” burials of the deceased. Nepal’s largely Hindu community objected to the measure which they say goes against religious traditions.

The Hindu rituals of death, cremation, prayer and final farewell have been overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster.

Among the 48 Brits still unaccounted for across Nepal and China is Hindu priest Nabhi Nandan Das, 64, who was leading a pilgrimage tour when the floods hit on August 26

Mass Burial in Nepal for unidentified flood victims  CNN

‘Our concern was the risk to public health posed by the rapid decomposition of the bodies,’ a local official said – DNA samples were collected for future identification

About 780 people have been killed, and more than 3,000 are reported missing after a flash flood triggered by a glacial collapse swept through valleys along Nepal's border with China.

Burial of flood victims in temporary graves prompts accusations that Hindu funeral traditions are being ignored

Nepal begins mass burials of unidentified flood victims as families seek missing  Reuters

The Nepal flash flood left a trail of destruction with the death toll crossing 700 on Sunday, while around 2,500 are still missing.

The mission is conducted under the joint guidance of India's Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs, and focuses on critical Disaster Victim Identification protocol directly on the ground.