Nepal observes national mourning as 5,000 remain missing
Nepal on Monday observed a National Day of Mourning on the 13th day of the Rasuwa flash flood disaster, honouring more than 1,340 people who lost their lives in one of the country’s deadliest natural disasters in recent history.
Nearly 5,000 people remain missing, including 589 foreign nationals, after the flash floods struck Rasuwa, bordering China, and adjoining districts on August 26 following an ice-rock avalanche in the high Himalayas, causing widespread loss of life and extensive damage to infrastructure in northern and central Nepal.
The Government declared September 7 a National Day of Mourning to honour the victims of the catastrophic floods that swept through Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and other areas along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems. The mourning is being observed on the 13th day after the disaster, in keeping with the traditional Hindu practice of marking the thirteenth day following a death. The day is regarded in many Hindu communities as an important period in the mourning period, when rituals are performed to honour the deceased and mark the conclusion of the formal period of mourning.
“The national flag will be flown at half-mast at Government offices across the country and at Nepali diplomatic missions abroad,” the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement issued on Sunday. The devastating floods caused massive loss of life and extensive destruction of homes, roads, bridges, hydropower projects, Government offices and other critical infrastructure.
Search and rescue operations are continuing in the worst-affected areas, including hydropower project tunnels, with security personnel and specialised international rescue teams engaged in efforts to locate missing people and recover bodies.
The disaster has displaced at least 32,000 families, completely destroyed around 7,500 houses and severely disrupted livelihoods and essential infrastructure across central Nepal. The Government has mobilised the Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and other agencies for search, rescue, relief and recovery operations.
Specialist teams from neighbouring countries, including India, have also joined efforts to rescue people believed to be trapped in hydropower tunnels.Meanwhile, the Government has declared Tuesday (September 8) a public holiday to mark Gen Z Martyrs’ Day. On the same day last year, Gen Z-led protests erupted in Kathmandu against a Government decision to ban social media platforms, alleged corruption and what protesters described as the ostentatious lifestyles of the children of influential politicians and officials. The agitation turned violent after security personnel opened fire near the Parliament building, killing 72 people, including children, and eventually forcing then-prime minister K P Sharma Oli to resign.
The developments led to the dissolution of Parliament and the collapse of the Government led by the CPN-UML and Nepali Congress.
A caretaker Government was subsequently formed and fresh parliamentary elections were held on March 5 this year. The polls brought the Gen Z-backed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), led by Rabi Lamichhane, to power with an almost two-thirds majority, with former Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah becoming prime minister.
