Authorities begin burying 229 unidentified Bhotekoshi flood victims
Only four of 233 bodies recovered in Chitwan have been identified, as decomposition raises public health concerns. Relatives of people missing after the Bhotekoshi flood gather at a temporary body handling centre in Bharatpur, Chitwan seeking to locate them. Ramesh Kumar Paudel/TKP
Authorities in Chitwan began burying 229 unidentified bodies on Saturday after they were recovered in the district following Wednesday’s devastating flood in Rasuwa, citing public health risks from decomposition.
Of the 233 bodies recovered from the disaster so far, only four have been identified, according to the District Security Committee, Chitwan. The remaining 229 bodies are being kept at holding centres and health facilities.
The bodies and human remains recovered from the riverbanks and kept at various facilities had decomposed to the point that visual identification was no longer possible, according to the committee. Health experts have warned that further decomposition and the foul odour from the remains could increase the risk of infections and outbreaks.
The committee decided on Saturday to bury all the unidentified and unclaimed bodies under the Unidentified and Unclaimed Bodies Management (First Amendment) Directive, 2026, as an emergency measure to prevent further decomposition and ensure their safe, dignified and lawful disposal.
DNA samples will be collected from all the bodies before burial, and records will be maintained using identification numbers, as decided.
The burial site is an open area in Devghat, ward 1 of Bharatpur Metropolitan City.
Anil Thapa, Inspector at the Chitwan police, said each of the bodies has a unique identification number with a tag in a steel plate so that relatives can exhume them once DNA matches.
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