### Nepal Commences Mass Burials Amid Rising Death Toll from Himalayan Floods

KATHMANDU, Nepal — Nepal has commenced mass burials for the numerous lives lost in the catastrophic flash floods that ravaged the Nepal-Tibet border region. The death toll has now exceeded 900, with authorities and neighboring China still searching for over 4,000 missing individuals, including hundreds of hydropower plant workers in the remote Himalayan area.

In a solemn ceremony held on Monday, Nepal began laying to rest some of the hundreds of bodies recovered following the devastating tsunami-like flood that swept through the region, destroying villages and leaving thousands unaccounted for. Distraught families have been flocking to rescue stations and hospitals in search of their missing loved ones, while others have faced the heart-wrenching task of identifying bodies at overflowing morgues.

The Nepal disaster agency reported on Monday that 903 deaths have been confirmed in the country, with 4,247 people still missing, including 592 foreigners. Among those unaccounted for are 933 workers at hydropower plants in the region. In China, authorities have reported 16 deaths and 546 missing, with 261 of the missing being foreigners, including over a hundred Nepalis.

In a harrowing account, workers who managed to escape the Trishuli 3A hydroelectric site described the terrifying scenes that unfolded during the disaster. Surendra Dowluri, 33, from India's Andhra Pradesh state, recounted the chaos as the raging waters submerged the Upper Trishuli-1 site, where he was working. "We heard a very loud sound... and saw that the turbine floor was submerged with slush, and six workers were stuck in that," Dowluri told AFP from Kathmandu after his rescue.

Nepal's army has been intensifying its search and rescue efforts in the disaster zones, with troops and engineers drilling through debris to reach workers believed to be trapped in a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A hydroelectric site. The deluge, which followed a glacial collapse in the Himalayas, caused a massive rockfall that registered as a magnitude 5.2 seismic event, swelling rivers and causing a torrent of water to sweep downstream through Tibet and Nepal.

The overwhelming number of bodies and the lack of proper freezing facilities have forced Nepali authorities to begin burials before completing the identification process. DNA samples have been taken from the bodies to enable families to identify their loved ones and perform traditional funeral rites. Grieving relatives have been gathering at identification centers to watch LED screens showing pictures of the retrieved bodies, often overwhelmed by the grim task.

In northern Nepal, where fears of fresh flooding remain, residents are living under constant fear. Overnight rain and rising river waters have further hampered rescue operations, filling the excavation area with water before conditions eased. Brigadier General Raja Ram Basnet, Nepal’s army spokesman, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “We are working in search and rescue of the stranded people from hills, settlements, and river areas.”

The international community has been closely monitoring the situation, with many offering aid and support to the affected areas. As the region grapples with the aftermath of the disaster, the focus remains on the search for missing persons and the rebuilding of lives and communities. The tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities of the Himalayan region to natural disasters and the urgent need for improved infrastructure and disaster preparedness measures.

*(FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)*