Nepal relatives conduct cremations for missing flood victims amid low identification rates

Fewer than one in ten of the bodies recovered after the recent deadly floods has been formally identified, officials said on Tuesday. The disaster, which swept through the river valleys of the northern province after weeks of torrential rain, left more than 200 victims dead and dozens still missing. Emergency responders have retrieved roughly 150 remains, but identification teams from the national forensic institute have confirmed the identity of only about 12 individuals, a rate of under 10 percent.

Authorities attribute the low identification rate to the extensive damage to personal records, the condition of the remains, and limited laboratory capacity. DNA sampling, dental comparisons and fingerprint analysis are being employed, but the process is expected to take weeks or months for many cases. The government has pledged additional resources to accelerate forensic work and to support families awaiting confirmation, while continuing search operations for the remaining missing persons.