Nepal flash floods: Tamil Nadu government arranges free DNA tests for relatives of missing
As of September 2, a total of 220 persons out of 305 persons from Tamil Nadu have been rescued following the flash floods in Nepal, while efforts are being made to contact the remaining 85 persons. | Photo credit: Prabhat Khanal
The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday (September 3, 2026) announced that arrangements have been made to conduct free DNA tests for relatives of pilgrims from the state who went missing in Nepal during the recent flash floods to facilitate identification.
The free tests will be conducted at forensic science laboratories in Chennai, Madurai and Thanjavur regions.
According to an official report, the Tamil Nadu government is making coordinated efforts with the government of India and the government of Nepal to rescue hundreds of Tamils stranded in Nepal due to flash floods.
As of September 2, a total of 220 persons out of 305 persons from Tamil Nadu have been rescued, while efforts are on to establish contact with the remaining 85 persons.
DNA tests for willing parents or children of missing persons
In continuation of these efforts and to facilitate the identification of persons missing in flash floods, the state government has arranged for DNA tests to be conducted for willing first-degree relatives such as parents or children of missing persons in accordance with standard operating procedures issued by the Government of Nepal, the report said.
The Tamil Nadu government has directed the concerned district collectors to make necessary arrangements to take the willing first-degree relatives of those missing in the flash floods in Nepal to any of their nearest regional centers to collect blood samples for DNA testing and to upload the details on the Nepal government website, the report said.
The Tamil Nadu government is further providing all necessary assistance to the relatives who want to travel to Nepal along with required details, the report added.
News in Frames: Hope hangs in the sky
Trail of destruction: The remains of houses and other buildings are seen buried under mud and debris in a flood-hit area of Nepal.
Clearing the way: Rescue workers and heavy equipment clear mud and debris in a flood-hit area of Nepal after a devastating flash flood swept through villages in the northern part of the country.
Temporary shelter: A woman feeds a child at a rescue camp in Nuwakot. The Nepal Disaster Management Authority said 4,451 people have been rescued so far and search operations are still ongoing.
Emergency care: Nepalese army medics treat a woman at a field hospital in Battar, Nuwakot after she was rescued from the Bhotekoshi flood.
On the ground: Nepal Army rescuers head to an airstrip near Nuwakot as teams remain on alert for more flooding after a debris dam breached on August 28.
Long wait: Relatives look through lists of missing people outside a hospital in Battar, Nuwakot, August 28; at least 2,426 people remain missing.
Rescue underway: A helicopter flies rescue missions in Nepal’s Rasuwa district, where many people are stranded.
Searching for answers: Relatives give officials names of missing family members as search for survivors continues; among those not in contact are hundreds of foreign nationals.
Tears of relief: After being rescued at a Nepali army camp in Nuwakot, a woman becomes upset as her injured husband is taken to Kathmandu for treatment. Her family, originally from western Nepal, ran a hotel in Rasuwa.
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Published – 03 Sep 2026 18:16 IST