Nepal Buries Flood Victims as Death Toll Reaches 752

Nepal has initiated the burial of bodies recovered from catastrophic floods, with the death toll reported at 752 and 2,502 individuals still missing. Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai announced that the burials are a temporary measure, allowing families to later retrieve the bodies for traditional cremation, which is customary in Hindu-majority Nepal.

Rai emphasized that all buried bodies are meticulously recorded, and DNA samples have been collected to facilitate future identification. The country is in urgent need of over a thousand freezer units to store the bodies, as many have begun to decompose, posing public health risks.

Rai appealed for international assistance, stating, “We have requested different countries for freezers; we will need more than a thousand.” The overall toll, including confirmed deaths in Tibet, has reached 768, with 3,048 individuals unaccounted for following the disaster.