The deadly Nepal floods have left a grim trail across the border, with 10 bodies recovered from rivers in Uttar Pradesh over the past two days, believed to have been swept downstream from the flood-hit neighbouring country, Reuters reported.
Six of the bodies were recovered from the Gandak river in Maharajganj and Kushinagar districts, both of which border Nepal, while authorities are yet to identify the deceased or trace their families.
In Maharajganj, three bodies, including those of two women, were recovered on Thursday after being spotted in the river’s strong current. A Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) rescue team monitoring the river and adjoining areas retrieved them using a motorboat and sent them to the district mortuary.
The Gandak enters India after flowing through Nepal as part of the Trishuli river system. The Bhotekoshi river, which originates in Tibet, flows into the Trishuli before it eventually enters India as the Gandak, carrying the impact of the floods downstream.
Officials said the bodies were suspected to have been swept into Indian territory from Nepal. Authorities are in touch with their Nepalese counterparts to establish whether the deceased were among those reported missing after the disaster and to trace their relatives.
In neighbouring Kushinagar, three more bodies were recovered from the Gandak on Friday. They were spotted near barrage pier number 3 in the Madanpur-Sukrauli area of Khadda, prompting police and administrative officials to reach the spot.
Khadda SHO Sandeep Singh said SDRF monitoring teams spotted the bodies floating in the river and subsequently retrieved them. Details have been shared with authorities in Nepal to help establish their identities.
The river has also carried a trail of debris, including vehicles, household goods, gas cylinders, drums, furniture and logs, with several items washing up along its banks.
Large numbers of villagers have gathered along the river to retrieve the material, prompting the administration to warn them against entering the water and instead inform officials about objects found downstream.
The flash floods began in Nepal on August 26 after a sudden surge in the Bhotekoshi river in the Rasuwa region, with floodwaters subsequently flowing through the Trishuli and Gandak river systems into downstream areas.
The recovery of the bodies in Uttar Pradesh has added to the grim toll of the disaster, which has killed hundreds and left thousands missing in Nepal.
Authorities in Maharajganj and Kushinagar have intensified surveillance along the river, with SSB, SDRF, police and district administration teams monitoring vulnerable stretches.
Officials said the river continues to flow swiftly and more bodies or debris could reach Indian territory. Although the immediate flood threat has eased as water levels decline, authorities remain on alert and have advised people living along the banks to exercise caution.
