Photos: Chandra Bahadur Ale/Kamal Prasai Rasuwa, September 3 For eight days, the

From Onlinekhabar English

Photos: Chandra Bahadur Ale/Kamal Prasai Rasuwa, September 3 For eight days, they waited and watched the roads, hoping their missing relatives would return. Whenever they heard that search teams had reached a particular area, a glimmer of hope emerged—perhaps their loved ones had been found. But seven nights passed without any news. Now, many flood victims from Paharebesi in Ward No. 5 of Uttargaya Rural Municipality have begun to give up hope. They are preparing to make a decision that is difficult to accept: to perform funeral rites for their missing relatives, accepting that they are unlikely to return. According to Ramchandra Thapa Magar of Paharebesi, many bodies have been recovered along the banks of the Koshi River. However, residents of Paharebesi were able to identify only one of them, and the body has already been cremated. There is no information about where the floods may have carried the others. “Today marks eight days. After discussions among neighbours and community members, we have concluded that those who remain out of contact are unlikely to return, and we have begun preparations for the funeral rites,” Ramchandra told Onlinekhabar.