Nepal observed a national day of mourning on Monday to honor the victims of the severe floods on August 26. Flags at government buildings were lowered, and families completed mourning rituals. The floods, which resulted in over 1,300 deaths in Nepal and Tibet, left about 5,000 people missing, including foreigners.
In Hindu tradition, mourning lasts for 13 days, during which close relatives remain home, and others visit to offer condolences. The final day involves prayers for the deceased. Some families with missing relatives conducted symbolic funerals, finding spiritual solace despite the absence of their loved ones’ remains.
The government designated Monday as an official day of mourning, with flags flown at half-staff. In Basantapur Durbar Square, Kathmandu, residents lit butter lamps and candles to commemorate the day.
“Not enough is being done for search and rescue efforts,” protested several gathered in Kathmandu.
Families of the missing assembled near government offices, urging authorities to expedite search operations. Many of those missing were employed at hydropower plants affected by the disaster, either swept away by the Bhotekhoshi River or trapped under debris.
Sumana Shrestha, among the protesters, displayed a poster of her 55-year-old husband, missing since the flood. He was a consulting geologist at a hydropower plant office engulfed by debris. We have prayed for a miracle since the tragedy,
she stated.
Fellow protester Mahesh Prasad Shrestha shared similar concerns about the response, highlighting inadequate equipment sent for rescue operations.
Candlelight vigils took place across Kathmandu in remembrance of those who perished. Authorities reported that rescue efforts are concentrated on 12 hydropower projects, where around 900 workers are unaccounted for, with approximately 500 potentially trapped in tunnels.
Specialized teams from India, China, South Korea, and the United States are actively involved in rescue operations, searching debris, damaged structures, and tunnels. Rescuers found two Nepalese workers on Friday and saved a Chinese worker on Saturday.