Bhotekoshi flood: 248 people from Lumbini Province still missing

Kapilvastu, Sept. 9 — As many as 248 people from different districts of Lumbini Province remain unaccounted for following the devastating flash flood in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa on August 26.

According to the Emergency Operation Center under the provincial Ministry of Internal Affairs, Law, Industry and Transport, the highest number of missing people are from Bardiya, with 76 reported missing. Dang has reported 54 missing, followed by Rolpa with 24, Banke with 23, Rupandehi with 19, Palpa and Pyuthan with nine each, and Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta West) with nine.

Similarly, eight people from Arghakhanchi, seven from Gulmi, six from Kapilvastu and four from Rukum East remain unaccounted for.

Meanwhile, 158 bodies have been recovered in Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta West) in the aftermath of the flood. Of these, 52 were women, 90 were men, six were boys and six were girls. The gender of four bodies could not be determined.

Authorities have also recovered 64 body parts, bringing the total number of recovered bodies and body parts in the district to 222.

So far, nine of the recovered bodies have been identified—one woman and eight men.

The Emergency Operation Center said 206 bodies and body parts have so far been managed, including 142 bodies and 64 body parts.

Search operations for those still missing, along with the identification and management of recovered bodies and body parts, are continuing, according to the Center.