Nepal's grim DNA puzzle to identify flood dead
Summary
Nepal is racing to identify victims of catastrophic floods and a glacial-rock collapse through thousands of DNA samples, as more than 5,000 people remain missing. Forensic teams in Kathmandu say the process could take weeks, leaving grieving families in painful uncertainty.
Key Points
- Nepal has recovered 1,454 bodies after the floods and landslides, but only 112 have been identified and returned to families.
- Forensic laboratories in Kathmandu are processing 3,685 DNA samples, including more than 1,300 from recovered bodies.
- Authorities say the scale of the disaster, fragmented remains and the need for relatives’ reference samples are slowing identification.
- India, China, South Korea, the United States and Singapore are providing forensic and fingerprint assistance.
