KATHMANDU, Sept. 4: The government has decided to observe a day of national mourning on September 7 in memory of those who lost their lives in the floods that struck the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers on August 26. The day marks the 13th day since the flood victims' deaths.
On the national mourning day, the national flag will be flown at half-mast at government offices across the country and at Nepali diplomatic missions abroad. The Council of Ministers made the decision at its meeting on Thursday.
Similarly, the Cabinet has decided to declare September 8 a public holiday across the country on the occasion of ‘Gen Z Martyrs’ Day.’ The government has faced criticism for deciding to observe a national day of mourning when the entire country is grieving over the floods, while declaring a national public holiday in the name of Gen Z Martyrs’ Day.
TU declares mourning holiday today
The floods were a natural disaster that caused grief across the entire country. The Gen Z uprising, by contrast, was a political event. During the uprising, protesters were subjected to state violence, while acts of arson and destruction were carried out in the name of the rebels, targeting the country's heritage sites.
The Gen Z uprising on September 8 and 9 last year led to the ouster of the then government. An interim government was formed to seek a fresh mandate, and the then House of Representatives was dissolved. In the House of Representatives election held last March, the established political parties were defeated. The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which had entered politics as an alternative force only a short time earlier, came to power after winning 182 of the 275 seats, close to a two-thirds majority.
Flood death toll reaches 1,259
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said that as of 7 p.m. Thursday, the death toll from the floods had reached 1,259. The figure is based on recovered bodies. Of the bodies recovered, 95 have been identified. According to the authority, 5,083 people remain missing following the floods.
Among those missing are 583 foreign nationals. A total of 5,384 injured people are receiving treatment, although some injured people have already been discharged from hospitals. According to the authority, 12,038 people stranded by the floods have been rescued.
