Nepal morgues overwhelmed as flood fatalities rise

Limited capacity in morgues leads to a shortage of space for bodies.

Nepal has suffered significant loss of life and property due to devastating floods. According to a report by Hindustan Times, approximately 538 people have been reported dead, and the death toll is expected to rise. This has led to a shortage of space in Nepal's morgues, forcing officials to make temporary arrangements for storing bodies.

The situation in Nepal is worsening due to the floods, with the death toll continuously rising. Bodies of people swept away by the Bhote Koshi River are being found far downstream, making it difficult for authorities to identify them. According to a report by Kantipur, bodies from Rasuwa and Nuwakot have been found in Nuwakot, as well as in Chitwan, Tanahun, Nawalparasi, and other areas.

Due to the lack of space in the morgues of Nuwakot, Dhading, and Nawalparasi, bodies are being sent to neighbouring districts. The number of bodies recovered in Chitwan exceeds the capacity of the hospital morgues. Authorities are also setting up temporary facilities. Reports from Pokhara hospitals indicate that morgues are filling up due to bodies arriving from several districts, leading to a shortage of space. In Chitwan, the increasing number of recovered bodies is causing difficulties for hospital authorities. Officials are establishing temporary centres in Bharatpur for storing bodies.

Photo Caption: Temporary morgues have been set up in the Terai region for storing bodies. Photo Courtesy: Kantipur

The sudden floods in Nepal on Wednesday have also caused significant damage to roads, bridges, and settlements. Due to the high number of bodies, temporary morgues are being established. In Chitwan, officials have converted an abandoned building in Bharatpur into a temporary mortuary. Temporary mortuaries are being set up due to the difficulty in storing bodies. According to a report by The Kathmandu Post, bodies from Rasuwa and Nuwakot have been found in Chitwan, Tanahun, Nawalparasi, Gorkha, and other districts, leaving no space in the morgues of several areas.

Chitwan's Chief District Officer Ganesh Aryal stated that the district's hospital morgues can only store 30 to 50 bodies at a time. Due to exceeding capacity, officials have decided to facilitate body identification. According to the report, the temporary centre in Chitwan can accommodate 250 bodies.

Additionally, Sushil Aryal, Information Officer at Pokhara of Health Sciences, stated that bodies are being stored at temperatures between 2 to 6 degrees Celsius to preserve them. Dry ice is also being used to keep the bodies safe.

Many bodies remain unidentified, prompting officials to initiate procedures to locate and identify them. Police are taking photographs, fingerprints, and DNA samples of the bodies and conducting post-mortems. Officials have stated that photographs of identifiable bodies are being released to help families recognize their relatives.

Nepalese officials are working with local governments to safely bury unclaimed bodies. Each body is being assigned a tag number, and burial details will be provided. According to officials, DNA samples will be sent to Kathmandu for testing. A QR code system has also been introduced by authorities to assist families in identifying the deceased. Police suspect that the number of unidentified bodies may increase due to bodies arriving from various districts.