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Nepal holds a day of mourning after floods kill 1,300

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Nepal holds a day of mourning after floods kill 1,300
News

News

Nepal holds a day of mourning after floods kill 1,300

2026-09-07 13:54 Last Updated At:14:00

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Nepal held a day of mourning Monday to remember people who died in the Aug. 26 floods with government offices lowering flags and family members concluding mourning rituals.

Monday is the 13th day since the flooding that has killed more than 1,300 people in Nepal and Tibet and left some 5,000 missing including foreigners, according to Nepal’s disaster management agency.

In Hindu-dominated Nepal, mourning periods last 13 days, in which close family members stay home and relatives visit to pay respect. On the final or 13th day, rituals are held to pray for the departed souls.

Several people whose family members are still missing have performed symbolic funerals with mourning rituals. In Hindu tradition, cremation is an important final rite, and for some families, performing the ceremony even without the bodies of their loved ones provides a sense of spiritual release.

The government previously announced Monday would be an official day of mourning with all offices lowering their flags to half staff.

In Kathmandu, family members gathered near the offices of the prime minister and key ministries to demand the government speed up the search and rescue for the hundreds of people who were working on hydropower plants and were either swept by the rushing Bhotekhoshi river buried by the debris.

Search efforts were continuing for hundreds of people who are still unaccounted for.

Rescuers pulled out a Chinese man Saturday from a power plant, and two Nepalese workers were rescued from the plant Friday.

Rescue efforts have increasingly focused on 12 hydropower projects, where about 900 workers are missing and roughly 500 are believed to be trapped in various tunnels, authorities said. Specialized rescue teams from India, China, South Korea and the United States have been searching through debris, damaged structures and tunnels at the projects, hoping to find survivors.

Relatives of recent flash flood victims hold banners urging authorities to step up efforts to find their missing loved ones during a demonstration in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Relatives of recent flash flood victims hold banners urging authorities to step up efforts to find their missing loved ones during a demonstration in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Relatives of recent flash flood victims hold banners urging authorities to step up efforts to find their missing loved ones during a demonstration in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Relatives of recent flash flood victims hold banners urging authorities to step up efforts to find their missing loved ones during a demonstration in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Buddhist monks offer prayers for the departed soul of the victims of flash flood on the bank of Trishuli river in Devighat, Nuwakot district, Nepal, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

Buddhist monks offer prayers for the departed soul of the victims of flash flood on the bank of Trishuli river in Devighat, Nuwakot district, Nepal, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Notre Dame tight end James Flanigan knew exactly how he wanted to celebrate scoring his first career touchdown in the stadium where his father and grandfather played.

Flanigan’s father and grandfather, both named Jim Flanigan, each played for the Green Bay Packers. After scoring on a 3-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter of No. 4 Notre Dame’s 41-13 victory over Wisconsin on Sunday night at Lambeau Field, Flanigan pumped his fist in the air just as his dad used to do during his own playing days.

“I saw some clip of my dad, there’s like this highlight reel out there I’ve watched before,” Flanigan said. “I used to make fun of him for doing it, but now it’s kind of become my thing, I guess. It’s just super fun.”

Flanigan’s father also played at Notre Dame before launching a 10-year NFL career as a defensive tackle with the Chicago Bears (1994-2000), Packers (2001), San Francisco 49ers (2002) and Philadelphia Eagles (2003). He won the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2000.

Flanigan’s grandfather, who died last year at the age of 80, played linebacker for the Packers from 1967-70 and New Orleans Saints in 1971. His 1967 Packers team won Super Bowl II.

That made it particularly special for the sophomore tight end to return to his hometown and play Notre Dame's season opener at a place where his family had so much history.

He worked hard to keep his emotions in check.

“My plan for it worked,” Flanigan said. “It was in pregame warmups, go out on the field and soak it all in. If I see family, say ‘Hi,’ and wave. And then, once we run out of the tunnel after warmups, it’s all business from there.”

Flanigan played four games for Notre Dame last year and didn’t have any catches, but he figures to have a bigger role this year. He scored the Irish’s first touchdown of the season by catching a CJ Carr pass around the line of scrimmage and getting into the left corner of the end zone.

Then he paid tribute to his dad.

“The boys were pumped about that,” Carr said. “Really cool to see him come home and end up having a touchdown.”

He became just the latest Flanigan to make a name for himself at one of football’s grandest cathedrals.

“There’s three generations of Flanigans who have been on that field and made some plays,” Flanigan said. “That’s really special.”

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Notre Dame tight end James Flanigan, center left, and teammate Micah Gilbert, center right, celebrate a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Notre Dame tight end James Flanigan, center left, and teammate Micah Gilbert, center right, celebrate a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

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