20 bodies found in Nepal valley
August 5, 2015
"Three bodies were retrieved two days ago, the villagers have discovered 17 more," Shivaram Gelal, the chief district officer of Rasuwa district in Nepal told the DPA news agency on Wednesday.
"There are some villagers in the region who are in need of relief. When we fly the food in, we will be flying security officials who will retrieve the bodies and bring them to Kathmandu for autopsy," Gelal added.
He said authorities had to wait for the weather to improve before flying to the area on a helicopter.
The Langtang Valley, where the bodies were found, was ravaged by avalanches triggered by the devastating earthquake on April 25. The scenic valley is a popular tourist destination. It was not clear whether the remains found this week were the bodies of local residents or hikers.
According to official figures, about 8,900 people were killed in two earthquakes in Nepal in April and May, the worst disaster in the country's history.
In the last two months, 90 people were killed in landslides caused by monsoon rains on soil loosened by the earthquakes.
das/sms (dpa, AP, Reuters)