Funerals in Nepal for missing, a week after deadly floods
Nepali families held symbolic funerals on Wednesday to “liberate the souls” of relatives missing since deadly flash floods swept away their villages and homes in the Himalayan region a week ago. Emergency teams have recovered more than 1,100 bodies, and nearly 4,500 people are missing after the gigantic wave of freezing water, rocks and debris […]
Families in Nepal gathered on Wednesday for symbolic funerals to "liberate the souls" of relatives who went missing after devastating flash floods swept through their Himalayan villages and homes a week ago. These funerals, held at Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, involved the creation of Kush grass effigies for cremation in accordance with Nepali Hindu customs. As of September 2, 2026, emergency teams had recovered over 1,100 bodies, while nearly 4,500 people remained missing.
After exhausting efforts to locate the missing in shelters and mortuaries, some families began conducting last rites, burning straw effigies in Hindu rituals. Dolma Newar Tamang, a grieving mother, explained, "We had to do this to set his soul free, so that he is at peace and happy wherever he is." Her husband had been traveling to China when the disaster struck.
Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal still held out hope for some survivors, stating, "Miracles do happen," but emphasized that he did not want to give up hope entirely. The scale of the disaster has sparked global concern, as a rural nation of 30 million people faced immense destruction. Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah emphasized that the catastrophe serves as a "serious indication" of the risks the Himalayan nation faces due to climate change.
The Himalayas, the world's highest mountain range, are warming rapidly, exacerbating glacier melt and threatening the water supply for 240 million people in the mountainous regions and 1.65 billion people in downstream river valleys.
Nepal has warned that reconstruction could cost billions of dollars, and the country lacks the resources to cope with such a massive disaster. China reported 16 dead and 546 missing, bringing the overall death toll to 1,130 and 4,462 people still missing. Over 800 foreigners from 30 nations remain unaccounted for, including tourists and Hindu pilgrims. Despite China's claim of open and transparent reporting, Tibetan advocacy groups question the accuracy of China's figures.
Written by urgent.news from Hong Kong Free Press - China's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
