Nepal has sought foreign assistance to supply freezers as it struggles to preserve bodies recovered after devastating floods that have killed more than 600 people. The country’s foreign minister said the support was needed while efforts continued to locate victims’ relatives.

At a previous news conference, Shisir Khanal said hundreds of bodies had been found downstream in rivers. He said the bodies faced a risk of rapid decomposition because they had remained in water for a long time.

Khanal said Nepal has “very limited” capacity to keep bodies frozen for extended periods. The government is actively seeking cooperation from foreign governments to identify arrangements needed for preserving the recovered bodies.