The stench of death has enveloped the area around Tribhuvan Hospital in Kathmandu. Photographs hang on strings outside, a tapestry of the tragedy that has so far claimed over 1,200 lives in Nepal. A week after the August 26 flash floods, doctors are finding it hard to even scan the bodies for fingerprints or other ID marks, while relatives outside hang on to hope that they’ll at least get the remains of their loved ones. So far, all they know is that over 4,000 people are still missing, and at least 161 bodies remain unidentified at this premier hospital in the capital as of September 2.
