Nepal cuts wait period to declare missing flood victims dead
The period required before a missing person can be legally declared dead is being cut from 12 years to 45 days.
Following a catastrophic flood near the China-Nepal border on August 26, Nepal's president has reduced the waiting period to declare missing disaster victims dead from 12 years to approximately 1.5 months. The disaster, triggered by a mountain and glacier collapse, caused extensive damage and claimed over 1,400 lives, with more than 5,000 people still unaccounted for.
The amendment to the disaster laws was issued through an ordinance, though specific details of the changes were not disclosed by the government. So far, only 112 bodies have been identified and returned to their families. Rescue efforts have been hampered by the thick mud and sediment left by the flood, as well as the extensive damage to homes and infrastructure.
Despite this, families of the missing continue to struggle, unable to obtain death certificates to access compensation or resolve property issues. Some have even held symbolic cremation ceremonies for their loved ones who remain missing.
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- Malaysians missing in Nepal — families in Catch-22 situation freemalaysiatoday.com
