Nepal holds symbolic funerals for those still missing after devastating floods

KATHMANDU, Nepal — Families in Nepal held symbolic Hindu funeral rites for relatives still missing after severe floods and landslides struck the Himalayan country's northern regions, including areas near the Chinese border. The rituals, which included the burning of straw effigies, came after days of searching morgues and relief centers left relatives without hope of finding the missing alive or recovering their remains. Nepal's emergency management authority said the death toll from the disaster has risen to at least 1,114, with around 3,916 people still reported missing. Officials noted that difficult terrain has hampered search and rescue operations across large parts of the Himalayan range. Families searching for their loved ones have struggled to reach bodies, many of which remain buried under debris or swept into riverbeds. The symbolic ceremonies were seen as a way for grieving relatives to complete mourning rituals and seek spiritual closure in the absence of remains to cremate.