Kathmandu— Tourists previously reported missing in Nepal have made contact with authorities, officials said Wednesday, as families of locals still unaccounted for after last week’s catastrophic floods held symbolic funerals for their loved ones. At least 1,204 people have been killed and more than 4,200 are missing following the Aug. 26 floods in Nepal.

Rescue Efforts Continue

Nepal’s Foreign Ministry said that 324 foreign nationals have been rescued, while another 590 from 39 countries remain missing. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that the number of Australians missing in the disaster had fallen from 43 to 38 after five were confirmed safe overnight. The Australian government also plans to send a team of drone operators to Nepal within days to assist search and rescue efforts.

Symbolic Funerals Performed

In Nuwakot, one of the worst-affected districts in Nepal, families have held symbolic funerals for relatives still missing. In Hindu tradition, cremation is an important final rite, and performing the ceremony even without bodies provides a sense of spiritual release. Along the banks of the Trishuli River, a priest placed straw effigies representing the missing family members before setting them alight.

China's Rescue Efforts

On the Chinese side, rescue crews have completed a makeshift road to the disaster site at Gyirong Port on the Nepal border. The road leading to the crossing was destroyed and buried under water, mud, and rocks. At least 21 people have been killed and 541 remain missing in China.

Survivors Seek Shelter

Some flood survivors are fleeing the devastation to seek shelter in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu. Around 400 survivors, mostly from the town of Timure, have been staying at the Yellow Gumba monastery. Riya Tamang, a survivor who fled with her baby as the floodwaters approached and lost her grandparents in the disaster, is among those taking shelter.

(With inputs from AP)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.