Photos: Symbolic funerals held in Nepal for missing flood victims

Published On 3 Sep 20263 Sep 2026.

Key points

• The August 26 flash flood has been one of the deadliest disasters to hit the Himalayan nation over recent years.
• Families in Nepal held symbolic funerals for relatives who remain missing, hoping to free their souls after they were presumed dead.
• Authorities in Nepal have meanwhile been burying recovered bodies in temporary graves until they can be identified.

In Hindu tradition, cremation is a vital final rite, and for some families, performing the ceremony without the bodies of their loved ones has brought a measure of spiritual release.

Authorities in Nepal have meanwhile been burying recovered bodies in temporary graves until they can be identified. DNA samples are being preserved, distinguishing facial features photographed and other identifying details recorded to support match the remains with missing residents and eventually return them to their families.

Notably, the August 26 flash flood has been one of the deadliest disasters to hit the Himalayan nation over recent years.

After a massive wave of mud and debris destroyed towns, roads, bridges and a number of hydropower dams, more than 1, 200 individuals were killed and concerning 4, 750 remain missing in Nepal and China's Tibet region.

In short, photos: Symbolic funerals held in Nepal for missing flood victims is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.