Families of people missing after the Bhotekoshi floods in Nepal begin performing funeral rites using effigies made of kusha grass after eight days with no information on their whereabouts. With floodwaters washing away relatives’ homes as well as lives, many survivors say they have no place to gather, grieve, or carry out rituals.
Some families who lose everything in the floods move to Kathmandu seeking shelter, but reports describe continued difficulty finding space at public facilities for mourning. In addition, survivors face broader day-to-day shortages while waiting for updates, including problems related to cooking gas needed to prepare for rituals and daily living. Both outlets describe a situation in which the absence of confirmed information about missing relatives and the lack of communal resources compound survivors’ hardships.
While accounts focus on the same core challenges—limited or no space for mourning and missing persons—coverage also highlights different immediate concerns, including the use of effigies in the absence of bodies and the practical constraints survivors encounter while seeking basic supplies and shelter.
