Nepal Police Shares Details of Unidentified Bodies From Rasuwa Bhotekoshi Flood

Nepal Police has directed the public to an online portal and QR code for information on unidentified and unclaimed bodies recovered after the flash flood that struck the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa district. The official account "@NepalPoliceHQ" posted the notice today, August 29, linking to https://udb.nepalpolice.gov.np/dead-bodies for details related to the disaster. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Nepal police said, "You can view details regarding the "unidentified and unclaimed bodies" affected by the flood in Bhotekoshi, Rasuwa District, by scanning the QR code or visiting https://udb.nepalpolice.gov.np/dead-bodies."

The flood hit on the morning of August 26, when a sudden surge of water entered the Bhotekoshi from the Tibet side of the Nepal-China border. It affected settlements including Timure, Rasuwagadhi and Syabrubesi before continuing downstream along the Trishuli and into other districts. Preliminary assessments point to an ice-and-rock avalanche or landslide that temporarily blocked a river upstream, followed by a rapid release of water and debris. Infosys Public Services CEO Lax Gopisetty Unreachable During Devastating Nepal Floods, Company Issues Statement.

Nepal Police Launch Online Portal to Identify Unclaimed Bodies

Rising Death Toll and Missing Persons

As of Saturday morning, authorities had recovered around 616 to 626 bodies across eight districts. Chitwan reported the highest number, followed by Nawalparasi East and other areas along the river system such as Gorkha, Nuwakot, Dhading, Tanahun, Nawalparasi West and Rasuwa itself. More than 2,400 people remained unaccounted for, according to updates from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) and Nepal Police. The missing include local residents, security personnel, customs and immigration staff, hydropower workers and hundreds of foreign nationals as well as Nepalis visiting from abroad. Thousands have been rescued, with search operations continuing. Bodies have been found far downstream, complicating recovery and identification. Many remains arrived in damaged or decomposed condition, adding to the difficulty of matching them with missing persons lists.

Portal for Identification

The police portal lists unidentified bodies with photographs, gender, location of recovery and date or time found. Families and relatives can scan a QR code shared by police or visit the site directly to review the information. The measure aims to help people check whether a missing relative is among the recovered remains. Similar notices had been issued in prior days as recoveries continued.

Morgues in several districts have faced capacity constraints. Temporary storage facilities were set up in places such as Chitwan, and bodies have been transferred to hospitals in Kathmandu, Pokhara and elsewhere for documentation, post-mortems and preservation. Authorities collect photographs, fingerprints and, where needed, DNA samples under existing guidelines for managing unidentified and unclaimed bodies. Some reports indicate plans for tagged temporary burials if identification cannot be completed promptly, with records retained for later matching. Nepal Floods: Amitabh Bachchan Calls Devastation ‘Unbearable to Watch’.

Broader Impact and Response

The disaster damaged roads, bridges, hydropower projects and border infrastructure. Thousands of security personnel from the Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force remain deployed for search, rescue and recovery. Helicopters have supported operations, and alerts have been issued at times over possible further rises in water levels upstream. The portal forms part of efforts to support families seeking information amid the ongoing recovery. Officials continue to update casualty and missing-person figures as teams work in affected areas.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 29, 2026 05:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).