The New Indian Express ·
Indian Embassy in China seeks DNA samples from families to identify flood victims
The Indian Embassy in China has asked families of Indians missing since the August 26 flash flood in the Tibet-Nepal border region to provide DNA samples to help identify victims.
The request follows confirmation from Chinese authorities that they can now receive DNA samples from families of Indian nationals reported missing in the disaster, the Embassy said in a statement on Monday.
Families willing to provide samples have been asked to submit DNA information in the internationally recognised CODIS format.
The Embassy will forward the data to Chinese authorities for comparison and inform families if a match is established.
The mission said blood samples could be collected from the parents of a missing person, or from their spouse and children. Where possible, samples from multiple children should be provided. If the missing person has no living parents or children, samples from all siblings are preferred.
Samples may also be collected from other maternal or paternal relatives, including cousins, with details of their relationship to the missing person.
The Embassy said DNA STR data would be required for all samples, while Y-STR data would also be needed for male relatives. Samples must be properly labelled with details including the nationality, name and passport number of the missing person, the name and passport number of the family member, and the sample identification number.
Families seeking guidance can contact the Embassy through its designated telephone number or email address.
The flash flood, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, sent a massive surge of water and debris downstream through the Bhotekoshi River, devastating settlements in northern and central Nepal.
Chinese authorities on Sunday revised the death toll to 43, while 519 people remained missing. Of those missing, 261 were foreigners, including 49 Indians.
Most of the foreign nationals killed or missing were believed to have been on either side of an immigration building that was swept away by the flood.
(With inputs from PTI)
