By Nabin Sishir BK, Baglung, Sept. 4: The flood in Bhujikhola rivulet in Bowang, Dhorpatan Municipality-9 on Wednesday mid-night, triggered by torrential rainfall, swept away many settlements in the bank area.

Some 41 persons including a 15-day-old infant were swept away by the flood of which three were rescued successfully, 14 bodies were recovered and 24 are still missing.  

The rescue team of Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, locals and youths of the district headquarters have been conducting the search and rescue operation from Thursday.

Of the recovered bodies, some were found from places near their houses while some were swept away as far as Indragauda of Musikot Municipality-5, Gulmi.

“As they are dismembered, some of the recovered bodies are not in the state of being recognised. We’ve even found only limbs, torsos and head too. It is being difficult for the locals and the police to identify the bodies,” said Police Inspector Prakash Singh Bhandari.

Only four of the 14 dead bodies have been identified until now. According to Inspector Bhandari, bodies of Keshmaya BK, 26, of Bhattechaur, Dhorpatan-9, Kar Bahadur BK, 46, of Lakuribot, his nine-year-old son Dalu and Jiwan BK, 25, had been identified until now.

The identified bodies have already been handed over to the relatives. The remaining 10 bodies kept at the primary health post Burtiwang are yet to be identified.