Nepal Floods: Families Seek Closure Amid Ongoing Identification Efforts

Tragic Aftermath of Nepal's Floods

Kathmandu, Sep 6: Amrit Diyali was deeply affected when he spotted a severed hand floating in the floodwaters, which bore a striking resemblance to that of his younger brother, Raj Kumar.

His nephew Avinash shared a photo of the hand, stating, "I found a hand that looks exactly like uncle's," as reported by The Kathmandu Post.

Raj Kumar, aged 33, along with his 30-year-old wife Shriti and their four-year-old son Siraj, were residing in Syaphrubesi, Rasuwa district when the Bhotekoshi flood occurred.

Relatives scoured the riverbanks as far as Chitwan and Nawalpur, searching through mud and stones in hopes of finding the family alive. When that proved futile, they shifted their focus to locating their bodies.

Currently, the only way for the family to ascertain if the remains belong to Raj Kumar is through a DNA test.

This situation highlights a broader issue facing Nepal, where authorities are depending on DNA analysis to identify numerous bodies retrieved following the floods on August 26, assisting families in locating their missing members.

(Photo:PTI)

To facilitate the identification process for families, the Nepal Police has established a DNA sample collection center in Bidur, Nuwakot, enabling relatives of the missing to provide samples without needing to travel to Kathmandu, as reported by Ratopati news portal.

Deputy Inspector General at Nepal Police Hospital, Damodar Poudel, mentioned that samples from close relatives, such as parents, children, and siblings, are particularly valuable for comparison with DNA from unidentified remains.

Poudel emphasized the importance of DNA testing, given the significant challenges authorities face in identifying many of the bodies.

So far, police have gathered 2,272 DNA samples, including 1,260 from bodies and 1,012 from relatives, as they strive to confirm the identities of those who perished in the disaster, according to The Kathmandu Post.

Authorities reported that 1,030 bodies have been buried after collecting DNA samples and completing other identification processes.

(Photo:PTI)

The reported figures include 222 women, 355 men, and 453 bodies whose gender could not be determined, as stated by the newspaper.

Only 96 bodies have been identified and returned to their families, according to Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

Many bodies carried downstream by the floods have been severely damaged, decomposed, or recovered only in fragments, complicating identification through facial recognition, clothing, or personal items, officials noted.

Forensic experts assert that DNA testing has become essential, although the process is lengthy and necessitates samples from both the remains and biological relatives for accurate comparison.

While fingerprints and dental records can aid in establishing identities, their effectiveness is contingent on the condition of the remains and the availability of matching records, officials explained.

For families like the Diyalis, the quest for identification transcends mere forensic analysis. Five days post-flood, Avinash discovered the hand in Nawalpur.

The family submitted a sample from it to the National Forensic Science Laboratory in Kathmandu on Tuesday for DNA analysis. Diyali mentioned that their sample is currently the 182nd in line for testing.

"We have ceased hoping for anything else. Even if that hand is confirmed to be my brother's, at least we would have certainty," he expressed to the local daily.

Authorities have also published details of 1,270 unidentified bodies on the Nepal Police website, enabling families to check if their missing relatives are among those recovered.

Flash floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, wreaked havoc on towns and villages across northern and central Nepal. The disaster has claimed over 1,300 lives, with approximately 5,000 individuals still unaccounted for.