Funerals without bodies: Families in Nepal bid farewell to flood victims - PHOTO

In Nepal, the families of people killed in devastating flash floods are holding funeral ceremonies using symbolic figurines, as the bodies of thousands of victims have yet to be found.

A week after the disaster, more than 4,500 people are still listed as missing. Given the scale of the destruction, there is virtually no hope left that rescuers will find any more survivors. According to the latest data, more than 1,100 bodies have already been recovered from the flood-hit areas. Search and rescue operations are continuing, and the death toll could rise.

The situation remains especially difficult at hydropower facilities. In recent days, rescuers have found the bodies of several workers who were trapped inside hydroelectric power plant tunnels. Experts suggest that hundreds more victims may remain underground.

Nepal has appealed for international assistance to carry out large-scale search and recovery operations. A number of countries have already sent rescuers and other personnel, humanitarian supplies, or financial support to the country.

Among the states that have provided assistance to Nepal are India, China, and the United Arab Emirates.

Amid the ongoing search, relatives of the missing are forced to hold funerals without the ability to bury the bodies of their loved ones. Symbolic ceremonies have become a way for families to mourn the dead and complete the traditional funeral rite, despite the absence of remains.