Nepal struggles to preserve recovered bodies as flood toll touches 788
The death toll from devastating floods in Nepal has reached 788, with over 2,500 people still missing. Authorities are struggling to preserve recovered bodies and have requested international aid for freezer units and DNA-testing equipment.
Why it matters
The scale of the disaster highlights a critical humanitarian crisis and the urgent need for international cooperation in disaster management and public health.
Four days after the flood in Nepal, the death toll in the disaster reached 788, and 2,502 people remained missing even as the preservation of recovered bodies became a challenge for the authorities, who continued with the rescue efforts.
Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai said Nepal urgently required freezer units and DNA-testing kits, warning that the bodies must be preserved and identified quickly to prevent decomposition and contain public-health risks. He said the government is “putting all our resources at disposal in relief and rescue operations.”
“We have requested several countries. Some other immediate requirements, like airtight bags for storing bodies, have started to arrive and other equipment are expected to arrive soon,” he said.
Nepal flash floods LIVE updates on August 30, 2026
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