Five days after a massive flood caused by a glacial collapse devastated northern Nepal, authorities are grappling with the overwhelming task of identifying hundreds of bodies while thousands remain missing. The disaster struck last Wednesday when a portion of a glacier broke off a mountain face, triggering a surge of water and mud that swept through the region, affecting parts of Nepal and Tibet.

At least 800 bodies have been recovered as of Sunday night, with over 2,500 people still unaccounted for. The urgency of rescue efforts is challenged by the difficult terrain, widespread destruction of infrastructure, and the passage of the critical 72-hour window generally deemed essential for successful recoveries. Entire towns have been destroyed, and roads, bridges, and communication networks are severely damaged, further complicating relief operations.

One of the hardest-hit areas is the Rasuwa district, where several hydropower project tunnels have been flooded and buried under debris. Nepal’s army, with assistance from Indian rescue teams, has been working through adverse weather conditions to reach trapped workers. While one tunnel has been accessed and found filled with water, a second tunnel remains inaccessible. Thermal drones have been deployed to search for signs of life, but no survivors have been detected to date.

Downstream in Chitwan district, where many bodies have been carried by the floodwaters, local morgues lack the capacity to manage the influx of remains. Authorities moved the bodies to a government hall in Bharatpur, about 100 miles from the initial disaster site. The hall was converted into a temporary morgue and identification center, displaying photos of recovered bodies to aid families searching for missing relatives.

Due to the hot monsoon weather and limited cooling facilities—air-conditioning was scarce and promised shipments of dry ice had not arrived—the bodies could not be adequately preserved. Only a small number of remains have been identified and released to families, while new bodies continue to be found at a rate of 15 to 20 per day.

Faced with limited options, district officials began mass burials over the weekend following thorough documentation efforts. Each set of remains was photographed, marked with identification signs, and sampled for DNA before being interred in forested areas outside Bharatpur. About 193 bodies were buried during ceremonies held on Saturday and Sunday.

For families, the disaster’s toll is both devastating and uncertain. Biresh Kumar Sah, 17, traveled eight hours to Bharatpur to search for his missing father and brother, who were swept away in the flood. Despite bleak reports, he holds on to hope even as his family prepares for the possibility of final rites. Another visitor, Ramesh Dahal, sought his nephew, a trekking guide in Rasuwa; initially hopeful that survivors reached higher ground, he is now coming to terms with the low likelihood of finding him alive or even recovering the body.

The disaster’s aftermath underscores the challenges Nepal faces as a low-income country vulnerable to such calamities—limited infrastructure, scarce resources, and remote terrain hinder search, rescue, and recovery efforts. With monsoon rains continuing and many towns destroyed, relief operations are expected to remain complex and ongoing, while the number of missing persons may still rise.