Wednesday’s flash flood in Nepal swept many bodies far downstream into distant districts, and the death toll continues to climb. According to the latest information, the death toll from the devastating flood has passed 500. With local hospital morgues lacking sufficient space to hold so many bodies, authorities are designating separate buildings to store them.
As a result, identifying victims and returning bodies to relatives could become challenging. Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said 221 bodies have been recovered in Chitwan, about 186 kilometers south of Kathmandu. Another 134 bodies have been found in the eastern Nawalparasi area, about 200 kilometers south of Kathmandu.
Chitwan Chief District Officer Ganesh Aryal told the BBC that many of the bodies are in poor condition, making their preservation and handling difficult.
Local hospital morgues no longer have space to store bodies. As a result, authorities have designated a government building for now to hold them. Nepal’s police have confirmed 547 deaths so far in the devastating floods.