Nepal Floods: Families Perform Last Rites For Missing Loved Ones

(MENAFN- AsiaNet News)

In a deeply emotional scene at a monastery in Nepal's Trishuli, families and locals are performing prayers and last rites for loved ones who remain missing after flash floods, even as they have no confirmation whether they are dead or alive.

At the monastery, people are gathering to pray for those who were swept away in the floods, hoping that the rituals will bring peace to their souls if they have lost their lives.

'95% chance they are no longer in this world'

A local Tishung Ghale from Rasuwa said many people from his area were swept away along with their homes and have remained untraceable for seven days. He said several members of his extended family were among those missing. Speaking to ANI, Ghale said, "These are people who were swept away from the mountains. Even after seven days, there's no contact with them, so I'm performing a prayer for them. Not 100%, but 95% is that. That they're no longer in this world. By performing a little prayer in their name, if they've passed away, their souls might find some peace. There's no contact, nowhere, because they were at home, and they were swept away from their homes. Along with the house, they were gone. So, if they were swept away, they're not here.”

“It's very difficult. It's beyond words. My own family is safe. But many of my relatives have been swept away. From where we were staying, about 42 people... from where we were staying, they've been taken out... so in our area, more than 400 have been lost. Yes, my own sister, an elder sister, a younger sister and her family... the younger sister's entire family... and for the elder sister, one of her young daughters, my niece, and a sister who was there, her family... the sister herself is gone. And my elder maternal aunt was swept away, and my elder maternal aunt's sister was swept away... three of them... and as family after family, a total of 42 people... so many have gone,” he further said.

Flood from China side swept away settlements

Another local, Bom Bahadur Tamang, said the floods swept away settlements after water came from the China side. He said performing prayers for the deceased is a tradition in the Buddhist religion. It happened like this... for the first time, a flood came from the China side. All the settlements here were swept away by this flood. So, the people who died... everyone has come to this monastery (Gumba) for the peace of their souls. This is a tradition in our Buddhist religion... so we are doing it for the peace of their souls,” Tamang told ANI.

Over 1,100 bodies recovered, 3,900 still missing

Meanwhile, the flash floods have caused widespread destruction in Nepal. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), 1,114 bodies have been recovered, while around 3,900 people remain out of contact.

Authorities said 11,993 people have been rescued as round-the-clock search and rescue operations continue. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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