Betrawati, Aug. 29 -- Three days after the Bhotekoshi flood, relief has yet to reach many affected areas in Nuwakot, one of the two hardest-hit districts, while the search for bodies believed to be buried beneath homes and settlements has barely begun.

Locals who survived the mayhem said the stench of decomposing bodies had begun to spread through the flood-hit settlements. In Gerku, Betrawati and Aaitar on Friday, houses remained submerged in thick mud and floodwaters. With the surviving houses deserted, Betrawati - once a thriving little town - has changed beyond recognition.

Betrawati has long held religious, historical, economic and strategic significance. It is home to the Uttargaya pilgrimage site, which draws thousands of devotee...