Nepal will begin burying unidentified and unclaimed bodies recovered from this week’s devastating flash floods, as authorities struggle with the deteriorating condition of the remains and limited facilities to store them.

At least 675 bodies have been recovered so far. Chitwan district, which borders India, has reported the highest number, with 233 bodies recovered.

Authorities decided to proceed with burials after health experts warned that the decomposition of bodies kept in temporary facilities could increase the risk of infection. In Chitwan, officials had been using a house as a temporary cooling centre, but the facility eventually ran out of space.

DNA samples collected before burial

Nepalese authorities are collecting DNA samples from unidentified bodies before they are buried. Each body is also being assigned a unique identification or reference number, along with details of its location.

The system is intended to allow relatives to identify and recover the remains later if a DNA match is established.

More than 100 bodies had undergone DNA profiling by Saturday afternoon and were ready for burial.

Burial sites designed for future exhumation

The burial pits are being dug about 1.5 metres deep, with a 40-centimetre gap between individual bodies. This arrangement is intended to make it possible to retrieve a specific body if its identity is established later.

The bodies are being placed in bags marked with their identification numbers. Concrete platforms and signboards will also be installed at burial sites to display the corresponding numbers.

Authorities also plan to document the burial process through photographs and video and geo-tag the burial locations.

How families can identify missing relatives

People searching for missing family members will be required to provide DNA samples at designated hospitals across Nepal.

Once the DNA results are available, health authorities will compare them with samples collected from the unidentified bodies. If a match is found, the corresponding identification number will be used to locate the burial site.

The police will then use their records to determine where the body was buried. The remains can subsequently be exhumed and handed over to the family.

Nepal Police has also uploaded details of unidentified and unclaimed bodies online to help with the identification process.

According to officials, 2,426 people, including hundreds of foreigners, remain missing in Nepal.

Nepal’s death toll from the devastating flash floods along its border with Tibet has risen to 676, while nearly 3,000 people remain unaccounted for, as rescue operations continue for a fourth day.

The disaster struck on Wednesday after a glacier collapse triggered a massive surge of water and debris into the Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa district, near the Tibet border. The flood swept through settlements and damaged roads, bridges and other infrastructure across the affected areas.

Rescue Operations Intensify

Nepal has intensified search and rescue efforts in the worst-hit areas, including operations to reach people trapped inside tunnels at hydropower projects.

An Indian rescue team has reached Trishuli and carried out an aerial reconnaissance of the Chilime and Langtang areas to assess the situation and plan rescue operations.

The Nepal government is also working to clear roads blocked by flood debris and landslides to restore access to affected communities.

The difficult terrain and continuing risk of flooding have complicated rescue efforts. Nepal has sought specialised international assistance for operations requiring technical expertise.

Hundreds Of Indians Unaccounted For

India has been closely coordinating efforts to trace its citizens affected by the disaster.

The Ministry of External Affairs said 320 Indian nationals remained missing, while around 400 others were stranded on the Chinese side following the floods. At least 153 Indians stranded in China had safely crossed into Nepal, while 63 Indian nationals working at the Trishuli-One hydropower project were rescued.

The MEA also said around 100 people of Indian origin holding other nationalities remained uncontactable. Many may have been travelling for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

India has sent relief supplies, medical personnel and a specialised team to assist Nepal with rescue operations.

Reconstruction Bill Could Run Into Billions

The scale of destruction has raised concerns over the cost of rebuilding infrastructure in the affected areas.

Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said the reconstruction and rehabilitation effort could cost “billions of dollars”.

The floods destroyed or severely damaged homes, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure, leaving several areas difficult to access.

As search teams continue to look for survivors and missing people, authorities are also working to provide relief to communities devastated by the floods.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has rejected US President Donald Trump’s decision to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America”, saying Canadians will continue to use the lake’s historic name.

Trump signed an executive order on Thursday changing the name for US federal usage. However, the order does not determine what Canada, international organisations or other authorities call the lake.

Carney said the name Lake Ontario predates both Canada and the United States as modern nations. He stressed that Canadians would continue to recognise the lake by its existing name.

“Canadians also know that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario — then, now and always,” Carney said in a social media post.

Why Trump renamed Lake Ontario

Trump announced that the lake would be renamed “Lake America” during remarks at the White House. The US president said the change would take effect immediately.

The move comes amid strained relations between Washington and Ottawa, including an ongoing dispute over trade and tariffs.

Lake Ontario is one of North America’s five Great Lakes and is shared by Canada and the United States. About 52 per cent of its surface area lies in Canada, while the remainder is in New York state.

Carney highlights Lake Ontario’s history

Carney also pointed to the Indigenous origins of the name Lake Ontario. The name is derived from the Wendat language and has been used for more than 400 years, predating the establishment of both countries in their present forms.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul also indicated that the state would continue referring to the body of water as Lake Ontario, highlighting that Trump’s order is limited to US federal usage.

The dispute over the name adds another symbolic point of friction to already tense US-Canada relations.