Only 3% of bodies identified in Nepal-China debris flow disaster

[Kathmandu Current Affairs] More than 900 bodies have been recovered on the Nepali side due to the debris flow disaster that hit Nepal and China. As of the 30th, only 34 of them had been identified, accounting for just over 3% of the total. This is because the animals are often swept downstream, far away from where they were caught, making it difficult for relatives to identify them, and because they are severely damaged.

Entrance to a hospital in Kathmandu, the capital. Along with the posters searching for missing people, the number of photos of bodies being posted is increasing day by day. There is also a completely changed appearance of a young child. Some photos showed features such as tattoos or dental treatment marks in an attempt to obtain information that could lead to identification.

Most of the discoveries were in eastern Nawalparasi and Chitwan districts in the south, which borders India. Many were not wearing clothing, and it is believed they were stripped as they were washed dozens of kilometers down the river. "Most of the bodies were badly disfigured and cannot be identified." A senior police official dispatched to Chitwan District for the disaster said so in an interview.

In India, the bodies of seven people, believed to be victims of a debris flow, have been found in a river flowing from Nepal.

Nepali authorities announced on the 30th that the body could not be stored in the morgue, so they began burial after collecting DNA for identification. At the site, there is also a lack of equipment necessary for storing the bodies, such as cold storage.

In a post on social media, Prime Minister Shah said that work is underway to hand over the bodies that have been identified to their families, but for the bodies that cannot be identified, ``After completing the legal procedures, underground storage and management have begun.'' He stressed that proper procedures were followed.