Nepal begins mass burials after devastating Himalayan flood kills hundreds

Nepal began mass burials on August 31, 2026, for victims of a catastrophic flood that hit the Himalayan region near the Chinese border. The provisional death toll reached 903 in Nepal and 16 in China, with 4,247 and 546 missing respectively. Bodies, many unidentifiable, were swept downstream, with about 250 recovered in Chitwan district near the Indian border. Authorities started burying victims without waiting for formal identification, after collecting DNA samples, due to decomposition and limited morgue capacity. Rescue efforts continue, including attempts to reach about 100 workers trapped in a tunnel at the Trishuli-3 hydropower project. A new glacial lake formed in Tibet prompted evacuation of Chinese rescuers, and Nepal warned of rising water levels in the Bhotekoshi River.