National mourning on 13th day of flood in Nepal: death toll rises to 1342, nearly 5,000 missing

Nepal is observing national mourning day in memory of the people who lost their lives in the devastating flood on Monday (September 7). The 13-day mourning period according to Hindu and Buddhist religious traditions is ending today after the massive loss of lives and destruction caused by the sudden flood on August 26. The country is observing state mourning on this occasion.

Nepal’s Home Ministry has said the national flag has been kept at half-mast at government offices and the country’s diplomatic missions abroad on the last day of national mourning. This programme has been taken to pay respect to those killed in the devastating disaster.

A sudden flood was created on August 26 due to the collapse of a huge portion of glaciers, ice and rocks in the Himalayan region. Vast areas around the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers were submerged by the strong current and mudslide. Houses and various infrastructures were destroyed in a moment, while a large number of people and cattle were washed away by the water current.

According to the latest count of Nepal Police, the bodies of 1,342 people have been recovered so far in the disaster. In addition, nearly 5,000 people are still missing. Deep mourning is continuing among relatives waiting for missing family members in the most affected Pairebesi village of Rasuwa district. Many families are completing the last rites formalities according to religious customs even without finding any trace of their dear ones.

The conventional formalities of mourning have also become difficult for many families due to the disaster. Due to the lack of sufficient priests at the local level, more than 20 families of Pairebesi village have been forced to go to Kathmandu and other cities to complete the last rites and shraddha formalities. Again, many families are completing the formalities by making ‘kushputul’ following Hindu religious customs as symbolic last rites of the missing relatives.

However, incidents of rescuing people alive even after nearly two weeks of the disaster are kindling some hope among relatives. Chandika Kumari Shrestha, 64, was rescued alive from under the debris in Betravati of Nuwakot on Saturday. The family had started the mourning formalities thinking her dead. Later rescuers heard her voice and brought her out of the debris in an operation of about 45 minutes and sent her to hospital.