Nepal’s government ends the search for 5,285 people missing after floods. Families demand answers and death certificates

The Government of Nepal announced Monday evening the end of search and rescue operations for the 5,285 people still missing after the devastating floods in August, including hundreds of foreign citizens. The decision prompted mixed reactions among families, with some calling for the searches to continue, while others requested death certificates so they could receive compensation and inherit property.

Usha Khatri, whose husband disappeared, criticized the government’s decision, saying that thousands of people have still not found their relatives. By contrast, Nirajan Poudel, who lost five family members, said that after weeks of waiting there was no longer any real hope and that families needed an official solution.

Some relatives held symbolic funerals without recovering the bodies. The government explained that legislation must be amended before death certificates can be issued.

Authorities estimate that reconstruction will cost $4.77 billion. Nearly 33,000 people were affected, and approximately 7,500 homes were destroyed or damaged. Prime Minister Balendra Shah announced that the next stage would focus on rebuilding roads and bridges, particularly in isolated areas.