S'pore police getting DNA samples of S'poreans missing in Nepal floods to identify victims

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) is working to collect DNA samples of the Singaporeans who remain missing in the Nepal floods.

The police have reached out to their next of kin to get the samples, which may help in identifying the victims, they said in response to Mothership's queries.

This work is also part of Singapore's efforts to support the Nepali authorities in their ongoing disaster relief and victim identification operations.

A total of nine Singaporeans have been reported missing after devastating flash floods swept through Nepal's border region with Tibet on Aug. 26.

According to The Straits Times, they have been identified as Rengarajan Prabu, Shalinny Deavy Elan Sozan, Subramaniam Diraviam, Rajesvaran Ayyavoo, Estee Loeh, Ghosh Aditi, Ng Kit Kuen, Shubakshi Rawla, and Sumit Rawla.

At least 1,200 people have died in Nepal, and more than 4,200 are missing, BBC reported on Sep. 2, citing Nepal's disaster agency.

"Of the bodies we have recovered so far, more than half are beyond recognition," a Nepali police officer told Reuters on Aug. 30.

The DNA testing process

On Aug. 29, Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah said the government would preserve DNA samples and other identifying information from victims whose bodies cannot be identified before their remains are handled by the state.

The government would handle only unidentified bodies, while those identified by their families would be handed over to relatives.

In a Sep. 2 notice, the Nepali police explained that DNA samples collected for testing should preferably be provided by the closest first-degree relative, namely, a parent or child.

If the family member lives abroad, the police requested that they go through their DNA profiling in their country of residence, then send a soft copy of the DNA profile along with a passport-size photograph to the Nepali police for comparison purposes.

Police contingent deployed

The Singapore police also sent a contingent to support the Nepali authorities in their disaster relief efforts.

The SPF shared in a Sep. 3 news release that the effort is in line with Nepal's request.

A team of 17 officers from SPF and two officers from the Health Sciences Authority’s (HSA) Forensic Medicine Division departed for Nepal on Sep. 1 and 2.

Another team of 14 officers will be deployed over the next few days to supplement the relief efforts.

The full contingent of 33 members also includes officers specialising in Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) and aerial surveillance.