Nepal plans legal amendments to facilitate death registration of 5,285 people missing after August 26 floods

PTI, Oct 7, 2026, Kathmandu: Nepal is preparing to amend two laws to facilitate the death registration of 5,285 people who remain missing after the devastating August 26 floods, allowing their families to access relief, compensation and other legal benefits, officials said.

The move comes two days after the government ended the 40-day search and rescue operation for victims of the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli floods, which killed at least 1,455 people and left 5,285 missing, according to revised figures shared by Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

The government is preparing amendments to the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act and the National Identity Card and Registration Act to address difficulties faced by families of missing people in registering their deaths, according to officials at a parliamentary special committee meeting held on Tuesday.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry Joint Secretary Subash Kumar Bhattarai said the existing legal provisions were not sufficient to facilitate the declaration and registration of deaths of people missing in the disaster.

The amendments will be pursued through a "fast-track" process, officials said.