Lack of body storage facilities poses challenge as bodies begin to decompose

Kathmandu: The management of bodies of those who died in the floods has become increasingly challenging.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, bodies recovered from the flood are being taken to various hospitals, and the process is continuing.

However, hospitals and temporary holding centres are struggling to accommodate the growing number of bodies, while some of those already being stored have begun to decompose.

The challenge has become particularly serious in Chitwan, where 233 bodies recovered from the Narayani and Trishuli rivers have been brought for management.

Only four of those bodies have so far been identified. The remaining 229 bodies are being kept at holding centres and various health institutions.

Chief District Officer Ganesh Aryal said the bodies have started to decompose because of the prolonged storage. Some have deteriorated to a point where identification is no longer possible.

Health experts have warned that keeping decomposing bodies for a prolonged period under existing arrangements could increase the risk of infection and disease outbreaks.

Faced with the lack of adequate storage facilities, the Chitwan District Security Committee has decided to bury the unidentified bodies.

The administration said the bodies will be managed in a dignified, safe and lawful manner, in line with the government directive on managing unidentified and abandoned bodies.

DNA samples of all the bodies will be collected and recorded using identification codes before burial.

This is intended to help identify the victims and facilitate the handover of remains to their families later.

The bodies will be managed at an open area in Devghat of Bharatpur Metropolitan City-1 from today.

The Chitwan District Administration Office has urged families and other concerned parties to cooperate with the authorities, saying the decision was taken under extraordinary circumstances and because of the difficulties in safely storing such a large number of bodies.