PUTRAJAYA: The next of kin of Malaysians who have yet to be traced following the flash floods and landslides in Nepal have been asked to prepare to undergo a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test to assist in the identification process.
During a closed briefing by the Foreign Ministry on Sunday (Aug 30), they were encouraged to undergo the procedure at their respective police contingent headquarters (IPK) starting Monday (Aug 31) after receiving an official notification.
The test will be used as a cross-reference to identify victims of the incident in Chitwan, Nepal.
Sivakumar Kalimuthu, 57, who is still awaiting news of his wife Kalai Mathe Karuppaiah, 57, said he and his family were among those informed of the need for the test.
"The police will contact us for the purpose of this DNA test. I will need to gather my three children for it," he told reporters.
He said the DNA test was among the preparations that needed to be carried out following the discovery of several unidentified bodies in the disaster area, which had to be buried immediately due to the lack of suitable storage facilities at the location.
Sivakumar said his three children are currently in Singapore, Langkawi and Selangor, and all of them are grieving but continue to hope that their mother will be found safe.
Recalling the last communication with his wife, who is a housewife, he said he last received a call from Kalai Mathe at about 11am on Tuesday (Aug 25).
"My wife informed me that she and a group of tourists from Malaysia totalling 17 people wanted to move into Kailash to pray, but after that there was no further communication," he said.
Sivakumar said he continued to pray for his wife's safety and hoped to be able to bring her back to the country.
Floods and landslides struck the country’s Rasuwa district on Wednesday (Aug 26), resulting in the loss of lives, displacement of communities and extensive damage to homes and critical infrastructure.
According to an analysis by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a Himalayan glacial collapse was believed to have triggered the incident, which generated energy equivalent to a 5.2-magnitude earthquake.
As of press time, the death toll has exceeded 700 while thousands more remain unaccounted for. – Bernama
