More than a week after the devastating flood and subsequent avalanche that occurred in the Himalayas, Nepalese authorities are trying to identify the bodies of the victims of the catastrophe. At the DNA sample collection centers, the families of the missing have gathered this week in the hope of being able to recover the remains of their loved ones.

First modification: 09/03/2026 - 14:59 Last modification: 09/03/2026 - 15:07

The walls of the Kathmandu University Hospital mortuary are covered with photographs. There are dozens of bodies found in Nepal after the flood that occurred in the Himalayas a week ago. For the families and loved ones of the more than 4,700 missing, each image represents a faint hope of ending a wait that has become unbearable.

Every day, these families go from one hospital to another, consulting lists of survivors and poring over photographs of unidentified bodies brought by the Army and kept in the mortuary's cold rooms.

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“I can't find his name anywhere.”

Among them, a young woman who spoke with France 24, who has been desperately searching for her brother for a week. He tells us about his last telephone conversation.

"I told him: 'I'll call you again tonight'. He laughed and then hung up. That was our last conversation. I would like to hear his voice one last time. I've gone everywhere, to the hospitals, I've consulted all the lists (...) but I can't find his name anywhere," he says. Between tears and without strength, he ends up losing consciousness.

At the mortuary, families who believe they have recognized a loved one in the photos released by the Police now hope to be able to identify the bodies. Ten more bodies have just arrived.

Somnath Acharya is looking for his 41-year-old brother, an immigration official on the border between Nepal and China, one of the areas most seriously affected by the disaster. "Even though he has died, we just want to be able to recover his body (...) That would allow us to grieve," he explains to France 24.

He no longer has any hope of finding him alive. His wish now is to be able to celebrate the funeral rites.

Read also “We cannot believe that everything has disappeared”: Nepal searches for hundreds of people after gigantic avalanche

A duel waiting for DNA tests

Of the 94 bodies kept in this deposit, only nine have been identified so far.

"80% of the corpses are no longer recognizable"

Bishun Dayal Patel, a teacher, believes he recognized his nephew, a hydroelectric plant employee. But before proceeding to hand over the body, the authorities require confirmation through DNA tests. Now you must undergo a sample collection and wait for the analysis results.

"80% of the bodies are no longer recognizable (...) Several days have passed and the decomposition process has begun. Even the body of a member of one's own family cannot be recognized anymore," says Bishun Dayal Patel.

As rescue operations continue, the chances of finding survivors are decreasing. Medical staff are now preparing to receive even more bodies in the coming days.

Read also Information veto after the catastrophe?: HRW accuses China of "censorship and control" over the flood in Tibet

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