Mass burials carried out across flood-hit Nepal as search for missing Brits continues

Mass burials are taking place across flood-ravaged Nepal as authorities continue their desperate search for hundreds of missing people, including 48 British nationals and 583 foreign tourists. The death toll has climbed past 1,000, with nearly 4,000 individuals still unaccounted for. Among those missing is Hindu priest Nabhi Nandan Das, 64, who was leading a pilgrimage tour when a catastrophic flood struck on August 26. Das, who runs the Sanatan Mandir and Community Centre in Coulsdon, south London, was guiding a group of 11 British nationals on a nine-day journey to Mount Kailash. The tour, organized by Alpine Eco Trek, had just crossed into China when the disaster occurred. His family has not received word from him since he sent a final message the day before the flood. Das' relatives, including his wife and son, are currently in Nepal but have not yet been granted permission to enter China, where the search for his remains continues. Dee Shah, Das' relative, described the emotional toll of the situation. “They think they’re just going to get a body,” she said, explaining how the family hopes to recover the remains of Das and the other 16 people who were with him. “But they want to find the body as it’s been too long not having a body. I think they just want to get closure.” To aid in the search, the family has provided DNA samples for identification purposes. In addition, Shah has launched a GoFundMe campaign that has already raised over £10,000, which will be used to cover travel expenses and support search and rescue operations. Any leftover funds will be donated to the Red Cross in Nepal. Shah expressed frustration with the lack of communication from the UK Foreign Office. “Every time we’ve been ringing them they just say they don’t know anything further,” she said. “We’ve been ringing every few hours but being told there is no further information.” Meanwhile, rescue teams equipped with trained search dogs are combing through flooded regions along the Nepal-China border, searching for survivors amid the mud, rocks, and debris. Authorities in Kathmandu have begun mass burials in temporary graves near a forested area, marked with barbed wire and numbered tags to facilitate future identification. Each body is preserved with DNA samples, photographs of distinctive facial features, and recorded details to assist families in claiming remains once they are identified. Efforts to locate survivors remain urgent, particularly for the approximately 900 workers missing from 12 hydropower projects damaged by the flash floods. About 500 of these individuals are believed to be trapped within tunnels. Brigadier General Raja Ram Basnet, Nepal’s army spokesperson, stated that teams, supported by international experts, are working tirelessly to reach those trapped. Visuals released by the military show rescuers navigating dark, debris-filled tunnels, wading through mud and water, and climbing over rocks in their search for signs of life. At the Upper Trishuli 3A site, rescuers recently made progress after breaking through into the upper portion of a mud-swamped tunnel. Air was pumped into the space, followed by excavation work using drills and excavators. As the team descended using ropes and called out, they hoped to hear responses from those still alive. These ongoing efforts underscore the scale of the crisis and the determination of both local and international responders to save lives and bring closure to grieving families.