India-Nepal Bhotekoshi flood victim identification

Following catastrophic flash floods in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers on August 26, authorities in India and Nepal have launched coordinated DNA profiling efforts to identify missing persons and recovered victims. In Nepal, the floods—triggered by an ice-rock avalanche—have resulted in over 1,300 deaths, with approximately 5,000 people remaining missing. Nepal Police have collected 2,272 DNA samples, comprising 1,260 from recovered bodies and 1,012 from relatives. To assist families in Nuwakot and Rasuwa, a DNA sample collection center has been opened in Bidur to prevent the need for travel to Kathmandu. While 1,030 bodies have been buried following identification procedures, only 96 bodies have been handed over to families. As of September 5, the death toll has risen to 1,342 recovered bodies, though fewer than 100 have been identified, and 4,886 people remain missing. Forensic efforts have expanded with the arrival of a 35-member team from the Singapore Police Force in Kathmandu. They are working alongside experts from India, China, and South Korea, utilizing DNA, fingerprints, and imagery to assist in identification. In India, the Ministry of Home Affairs is utilizing Central and State Forensic Science Laboratories to match biological samples from relatives with unidentified bodies. Medical officials at Thanjavur Medical College Hospital have collected blood samples from 23 relatives of missing tourists who were part of a group of 57 traveling for the Kailash yatra. Specific efforts also include designating Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital in Bengaluru as a nodal center. By September 10, Nepal has intensified its profiling efforts. The Nepal Police Central Forensic Science Laboratory is processing thousands of samples, including blood, teeth, and bone, to minimize errors.