DNA samples from Nepal flood victims’ families taken, says minister

Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan announced that DNA samples from the families of 55 Malaysians missing since floods and landslides in Nepal have been collected. These samples will be sent to Nepal for matching, a process that may take considerable time due to the number of victims involved. Hasan also stated that Malaysia is willing to provide chemistry department experts to help with the DNA matching process, should it be necessary.

He noted that other countries would likely send their own experts to assist Nepal in identifying DNA matches, which would help speed up the process. Hasan made these remarks after visiting the Pinggiran Senawang Independence Carnival in Seremban.

The Nepalese government has been cooperative with the Malaysian embassy in Kathmandu, providing daily updates on the search operation and the current situation on the ground. Next-of-kin have been contacted regularly with new developments. However, Nepal has restricted the entry of foreign search and rescue teams to ensure local authorities can effectively coordinate the operation.

Eleven personnel from Malaysia's Special Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) have departed for Nepal to aid in search and rescue efforts, with the mission lasting 10 days. Out of the 55 Malaysians unaccounted for since the disaster on August 26, some of the 77 found safe in Tibet and Nepal have since returned to Malaysia. The remaining victims are expected to be repatriated on flights organized by their travel agencies.