Nepal floods: Indian team starts DNA analysis, death toll reaches 1,050 - what we know

A forensic team from India has commenced DNA analysis in Nepal, following catastrophic flash floods that struck the Himalayan region on August 26, 2022. The 19-member Indian Forensic Team is collaborating with their Nepali counterparts at the Nepal Police Central Forensic Science Laboratory and the National Forensic Science Laboratory, Khumaltar, Kathmandu. The Indian Embassy reported that the team is working diligently to expedite DNA sample processing, aiming to aid in the identification of those affected by the floods.

The death toll from the devastating floods has risen to 1,050, with security forces recovering bodies from eight districts. As of now, nearly 4,000 people remain missing, including 583 foreigners and 83 security personnel. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) stated that around 12,000 people have been rescued thus far. Mass burials for unidentified flood victims have taken place in Kathmandu.

In a separate development, drone pilot Manish Maharjan has been assisting Nepal Army rescue teams in their search efforts for missing individuals, including workers believed to be trapped underground in hydropower tunnels buried under mud and debris. Maharjan reported that thermal drones have been utilized in the search, but many tunnels are completely filled with mud, making it challenging to detect signs of life.

He explained that navigating bends, turns, and zigzags within the tunnels is difficult, as they are often narrow and obstructed.

With rescue teams still grappling to reach isolated areas, authorities are concerned that the death toll could rise further as search operations persist across the disaster-affected region. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) updated on India’s rescue and relief efforts, stating that 163 Indian nationals have been rescued so far. Additionally, 151 people left China on Tuesday, as efforts continue to assist those impacted by the devastating floods in the region.