Nepal to use DNA testing to identify flood victims

Kathmandu – Nepal’s authorities have announced that DNA testing will be used to identify victims of the deadly monsoon floods that swept the country in late August, a move aimed at providing closure to families and improving the accuracy of death toll figures. The Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed that the forensic department, in partnership with the National Forensic Science Laboratory and international experts, will collect DNA samples from recovered bodies and from relatives of the missing, with results expected to be processed within weeks.

The decision follows reports that more than 150 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds remain unaccounted for across the flood‑hit districts of Kaski, Gorkha and Sindhupalchok. Officials said the DNA program will complement traditional identification methods such as visual recognition and dental records, and that a secure database will be established to match profiles. As rescue and recovery operations continue, the government urged relatives to submit DNA samples voluntarily, emphasizing that the initiative is part of a broader effort to ensure transparent and humane handling of the disaster’s casualties.