In Nepal, dolls are burned instead of bodies, survivor from the 'Miracle House': 'The water rose, we didn't know if we would survive'
8 days after the flood disaster, more than 4,200 are still missing on the Tibet border, and families who have lost hope have begun symbolic funeral rites, burning straw dolls instead of the remains of their loved ones. Rescue teams are clearing a path to those trapped in power plants, 9,300 soldiers are opening roads and have begun evacuating survivors using zip lines over the Trishuli River. Relatives of the missing are begging Apple to provide cellular location data.
Authorities in Nepal estimated today, Thursday, that the country will have to rebuild about 20,000 homes in the areas affected by last week's glacier collapse. While rescue teams continue to search for survivors in the tunnels of hydroelectric facilities near the border with Tibet, the official death toll has risen to 1,252, with more than 4,200 still missing, at least 583 of whom are foreign citizens.
The collapse of the glacier on August 26 sent a massive surge of ice, rocks, and mud that wiped out settlements and villages. According to updated estimates, about 7,500 houses were completely destroyed, and even those still standing are largely unfit for living.
The 'Miracle House' Symbol
One site at the center of the disaster symbolizes hope for the locals: the 'Miracle House', a turquoise building that remained standing at the peak of the flood. Its residents were trapped on the second floor, watching helplessly as waves crashed against the walls. The video of the house went viral, and it was marked on Google Maps as a 'flood-resistant' attraction.
67-year-old Chhatra Bahadur Pyakurel, who lives in the house, recalled: 'At first we didn't know what would happen or if we would survive. But after some time we realized there was nothing else we could do. Our lives were in the hands of the Almighty.' He believes the house survived due to its deep-drilled rock anchors, though he credits divine grace as well.
Rescue Efforts
More than 9,300 soldiers from the Nepal Army continue to operate in the affected areas. Rescue forces have begun setting up improvised zip lines over the raging Trishuli River to evacuate survivors. UNICEF reported today that at least 22,000 children in the region are in urgent need of safe drinking water and hygiene assistance.
Rescue efforts are also focusing on the underground tunnels of hydroelectric power plants. Authorities estimate that dozens of survivors may have reached protected spaces within these tunnels, where over 900 workers were present at the time of the flood.
The Agony of the Missing
Meanwhile, relatives of foreign citizens are waiting for updates. 23-year-old Australian student Sarada Viswanathan, whose partner is missing, has urged tech companies like Apple to share location data to help focus rescue teams. The companies have declined, citing privacy concerns.
In Kathmandu, crowds gather daily at the 'Wall of the Missing' at a local hospital, covered in hundreds of photographs. Symbolic funeral rites are also being held for those whose bodies have not been recovered. At the Pashupatinath Temple, families burn straw dolls instead of real bodies, a practice that provides a sense of spiritual closure in the Hindu tradition.
