Nepal is observing a day of national mourning on Monday in honor of those who lost their lives prematurely in the unprecedented and devastating flood in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa.
A Cabinet meeting held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar on September 3 decided to observe a day of national mourning on September 7 in honor of those killed in the massive Bhotekoshi flood on August 26.
Government offices across Nepal, as well as Nepali embassies and diplomatic missions abroad, will fly the national flag at half-mast on Monday.
According to Nepal Police Headquarters in Naxal, the bodies of 1,342 people who died in the Bhotekoshi flood had been recovered as of Sunday evening.
Another 3,992 people remain missing following the disaster.
Of the bodies recovered so far, 530 are men, 328 are women, while 495 remain unidentified.
Abi Narayan Kafle, central spokesperson for Nepal Police, said that among those still missing, 2,827 are Nepali men and 567 are Nepali women. Among foreign nationals, 267 men and 239 women remain missing.
Security agencies continue search and rescue operations in the flood-affected areas, as well as the recovery and management of bodies. Police said that 1,044 of the recovered bodies have been safely buried, while the identification and management of the remaining bodies are underway.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), 13,399 people have so far been rescued from various flood-affected districts.
Thousands of personnel from the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force have been continuing rescue operations amid difficult terrain, blocked roads, and dangerous river currents.
According to NDRRMA spokesperson Shanti Mahat, 21,465 security personnel have been mobilized for search, rescue, and relief operations in the affected areas.
The Nepal Army has conducted 1,045 flights using its aircraft, while private-sector aircraft have made 129 flights to intensify search, rescue, and relief efforts.
Holding centers have been established in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading for the immediate management and temporary accommodation of rescued citizens. Currently, 3,912 people are staying at the holding centers.
Efforts to provide immediate healthcare to the injured and other affected citizens have also been intensified. So far, 6,073 people have received medical services.
DNA testing has been prioritized to identify missing persons and establish the identities of recovered bodies.
Police said that DNA samples have so far been collected from 2,376 people, including 1,181 deceased individuals and 1,195 relatives of the victims.
Teams from Nepal Police, Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, and other relevant government agencies continue to be deployed in the affected areas for the search and rescue of missing people and for the identification and management of recovered bodies.
