Nepal families hold funerals as hopes fade for those still missing

Floyd Brenz., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 02, 2026

Photo Courtesy: AFP

A week after devastating floods swept through Nepal, families are beginning to hold symbolic funerals for loved ones who remain missing, as hopes of finding them alive grow increasingly slim.

In some communities, relatives are carrying out Hindu funeral rites without the bodies of their loved ones, hoping to help “liberate their souls” after days of uncertainty.

The catastrophic floods and landslides, triggered by a glacier collapse along the Nepal-Tibet border, have killed more than 1,100 people in Nepal, while thousands remain unaccounted for.

Rescue teams continue searching through mountains of mud and debris, including damaged hydropower facilities where hundreds of people are still believed to be trapped.

Authorities are also working to identify recovered bodies, with DNA samples being collected from relatives as morgues struggle to accommodate the growing number of victims.

For families who have spent days waiting for news, the symbolic funerals mark a painful turning point, a farewell without a body, and grief without certainty.