Archive · 4 Sep 2026
India Offers DNA Profiling to Identify Nepal Flood Victims
India is offering to help families identify people missing after major floods in Nepal.
Close relatives such as parents, children and siblings can give biological samples in India.
Scientists will create DNA profiles from those samples.
The profiles can be compared with DNA taken from unidentified bodies in Nepal.
Nepal Police has advised using a method called Autosomal STR.
Indian laboratories, universities and other approved facilities can do the testing.
The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu can help coordinate the information.
Nepal says thousands of people are still missing while rescue and identification work continues.
India will provide forensic DNA profiling to help identify mortal remains after Nepal’s Aug. 26 flash floods.
Parents, children and siblings of missing people living in India can submit biological samples.
Samples may be processed at Indian government, university and NABL-accredited forensic laboratories.
Profiles should use the Autosomal STR method and be sent to Nepal Police for comparison.
Nepali authorities report 1,259 deaths, more than 12,000 rescues and about 5,000 people still missing.
- Who
- The Government of India, Indian forensic laboratories, Nepal Police and families of people missing after the floods.
- What
- India is offering DNA profiling of first-degree relatives to help identify unidentified mortal remains in Nepal.
- When
- The initiative follows procedures issued by the Embassy of India in Kathmandu on Sept. 1, 2026; the floods occurred on Aug. 26.
- Where
- Samples can be collected and processed at eligible facilities across India, with profiles compared by Nepal Police.
- Why
- To support the identification of people missing after the flash floods and help coordinate the identification of mortal remains.
- Disaster date
- Aug. 26, 2026
- Reported deaths
- At least 1,259
- People rescued
- More than 12,000
- People missing
- Around 5,000
- Recommended testing method
- Autosomal STR DNA profiling
- Profile recipient
- Nepal Police at [email protected]
- India assistance helpline
- +977 9841 6160 95