Nepal Plans Law Changes to Register Flood Missing Persons as Dead
Nepal plans to amend laws to allow death registration for 5,285 people still missing after the August floods, helping families access compensation, relief and legal support.
Nepal is preparing to amend two laws to enable the death registration of 5,285 people who remain missing after the devastating floods of August 26. The move is intended to help their families access compensation, relief and other legal benefits.
The government announced the proposed changes after ending a 40-day search-and-rescue operation. Revised figures from Nepal’s disaster management authority put the death toll at 1,455, while thousands remain unaccounted for.
Officials said amendments are being prepared to the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act and the National Identity Card and Registration Act. The government is considering a fast-track process, including an ordinance, after Parliament’s regular session ended.
Under existing rules, people missing for 12 years are generally presumed dead. Nepal’s Civil Code also allows courts to declare someone dead in certain disaster or accident cases, but officials said the process has been difficult for families affected by the floods.
The government has now shifted its focus towards rehabilitation and reconstruction while continuing efforts to recover human remains and belongings.
The August floods, triggered near the Nepal-Tibet border, caused widespread destruction across northern and central Nepal, damaging homes, roads, bridges and hydropower projects. For affected families, changing the paperwork could finally unlock support that has remained stuck in legal limbo.
