As desperate search and rescue efforts continue in Nepal more than a week after the deadly mudslide that hit the Nepal-China border on August 26, survivors are returning to their ruined homes to salvage whatever they can from the wreckage.
Triggered by an ice-rock avalanche, the disaster has so far claimed 1,344 lives in Nepal, with 4,898 people still missing, according to local authorities.
In the devastated village of Devighat, in Nepal's Bidur municipality, affected residents are grappling with the full weight of the catastrophe.
Ambika Nepali tried to secure medication for her husband's heart condition. Fleeing the mudslide with only their lives, the couple left all their belongings behind.
With the help of local police, Nepali was finally able to enter her ruined home to retrieve vital medical documents and prescriptions.
"We informed the police about our important documents and medical papers. They helped us by sending people to retrieve these belongings. We have only been able to take stuff from one room. We haven't been able to enter the remaining three rooms as the doors are completely blocked. Still, we have managed to recover some documents and gold items," said Nepali.
The unprecedented deluge swept through entire settlements, leaving only a handful of houses standing. Even those still standing have been rendered uninhabitable.
Volunteers from various organizations are on the ground helping victims assess the wreckage of their homes. But aid workers warn the road to recovery will be long and arduous, demanding sustained government support.
"It will take a long time to manage the damage because there is a lot of destruction here. It is not small. This is just one place where we are, but it has spread far and wide. Therefore, the government should make arrangements for housing for families who are homeless. Rooms should be arranged based on the number of members in the family. For example, a family of ten members should be provided with enough rooms accordingly," said Pushpa Adhikari, a social worker.
Yet before any large-scale rehabilitation can begin, the government's immediate priority remains recovering the dead. Search and rescue teams have intensified efforts to clear thousands of tonnes of mud and debris.
"Even after more than a week of the disaster, the bodies haven't been fully recovered. Yesterday alone, around 20 to 22 bodies were found in one house. The search and rescue work is still ongoing. This is a great tragedy for Nepal. We have seen many difficult situations before. But the current one is the biggest," said Ranjan Lal Sherstha, a rescue team leader.
Grim search continues in Nepal as mudslide survivors scour ruined homes for essentials
