Kathmandu— Nepal's police have confirmed that 1,344 bodies have been recovered from the catastrophic Bhotekoshi River flood that struck Rasuwa on August 26, with 4,898 people still missing, according to a statement from Police Headquarters spokesperson Kafle, as search and rescue operations continue amid efforts to identify the deceased and locate the missing.

Recovery and Identification Efforts

Police spokesperson Kafle reported that among the recovered bodies, 52 were children, 33 girls, 269 women, 489 men, and 501 remain unidentified. The police have buried 1,300 of the recovered bodies with respect, while ongoing efforts focus on identifying the remaining deceased.

DNA samples have been collected from 1,260 deceased individuals and 972 relatives to aid in the identification process, with authorities emphasizing the critical importance of this step in resolving the fate of the missing and deceased.

Search and rescue operations remain active in the flood-affected regions as security agencies continue to manage the aftermath of the disaster.

(With inputs from RN)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.