Relatives hold cremations without bodies for Nepal’s missing flood victims
Al Jazeera
•Sat, 05 Sep 2026 14:40:38 +0000
📰 What Happened
Relatives of Nepal's missing flood victims are performing symbolic cremation rites using effigies made of sacred kusha grass because their loved ones' bodies have not been found. The catastrophic flash floods of August 26 killed more than 1,200 people and left almost 5,000 missing. Families such as that of Pushpa Raj Bhattarai, 46, are mourning at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu without a body to cremate.
🔍 The Backstory
Hindu tradition holds that proper cremation rites are important for the dead, which makes the absence of bodies deeply painful for grieving families. Sujan Achhami, 23, performed the rites for his missing father Dinesh, while Khim Bahadur Gharti Magar performed them for his uncle Tham Bahadur Pun and aunt Chausara Pun, who vanished when floods hit the pilgrimage group of 17 buses they were travelling with. Rescuers found four other bodies from that group, but not the missing relatives.
🎯 Why It Matters
The story captures the human toll of the disaster beyond the death count: thousands of families are left without closure and unable to complete religious rites for their dead. It illustrates both the extraordinary scale of the flooding and the enduring cultural importance of these rituals in Nepal.
Relatives of Nepal's missing flood victims are performing symbolic cremation rites using effigies made of sacred kusha grass because their loved ones' bodies have not been found. The catastrophic flash floods of August 26 killed more than 1,200 people and left almost 5,000 missing. Families such as that of Pushpa Raj Bhattarai, 46, are mourning at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu without a body to cremate.
Hindu tradition holds that proper cremation rites are important for the dead, which makes the absence of bodies deeply painful for grieving families. Sujan Achhami, 23, performed the rites for his missing father Dinesh, while Khim Bahadur Gharti Magar performed them for his uncle Tham Bahadur Pun and aunt Chausara Pun, who vanished when floods hit the pilgrimage group of 17 buses they were travelling with. Rescuers found four other bodies from that group, but not the missing relatives.
The story captures the human toll of the disaster beyond the death count: thousands of families are left without closure and unable to complete religious rites for their dead. It illustrates both the extraordinary scale of the flooding and the enduring cultural importance of these rituals in Nepal.