DNA testing is being utilized to identify bodies that may be unrecognizable due to mutilation and decomposition following a glacial collapse near the Langtang Lirung mountain peak, which triggered severe floods in Nepal and Tibet. As of Thursday, authorities reported that more than 1,270 people have been killed and over 4,700 are still missing. On Friday morning, it was reported that two workers trapped in tunnels at hydropower projects along the affected rivers had been rescued.
Forensic experts are working to identify the deceased, with morgues overwhelmed by the number of bodies. Police are urging first-degree relatives of missing individuals to provide fresh blood samples for DNA profiling. Relatives of foreign nationals can also submit DNA samples from abroad for comparison with the remains in Nepal. Hundreds of DNA samples have already been collected.
The samples are being sent to the Nepal Police Forensic Science Laboratory and the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology. In Kathmandu, forensic teams are facing challenges in identifying bodies due to their state of decomposition. Jessica Washington from Al Jazeera reported that while tattoos and jewelry can aid in identification, many bodies are too decomposed for visual identification.
Experts emphasize the importance of DNA testing in such cases, as mutilated bodies can become unrecognizable, particularly after being submerged in water. DNA profiles can be generated from blood, soft tissue, bone, and teeth, according to Kerstin Montelius, a molecular biologist at Sweden’s National Board of Forensic Medicine. She noted that DNA can still be extracted from bones even when most tissue has decomposed.
Interpol’s Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) framework is used globally to manage and identify disaster victims. DNA is unique to each individual, except for identical twins, making it a reliable method for identifying missing persons. Montelius outlined three primary identification methods: DNA comparison, fingerprints, and teeth comparison, with the choice of method depending on the circumstances.
When a direct DNA profile of a missing person is available, it can be compared with that of unidentified bodies. However, if no fingerprints or dental records are available, DNA profiles can be collected from the next of kin, which is the approach being taken in Nepal.
Once data is collected, specialists compare the information from the next of kin with that from the remains to identify victims. This process can utilize various computer systems that suggest matches for DNA experts to review. Identification can be confirmed with a 100 percent match between the DNA profiles.
India has dispatched a 19-member forensic team to assist with DNA sample analysis at the Nepal Police Central Forensic Science Laboratory and the National Forensic Science Laboratory. The Indian embassy in Nepal confirmed that the team aims to expedite the processing of DNA samples. Additionally, China has sent a contingent of DNA identification experts and emergency relief supplies, as reported by the state-run Xinhua news agency.