Singapore humanitarian aid reaches flood-hit Nepal with medical supplies, DNA test kits

KATHMANDU – Singapore’s humanitarian aid arrived in Nepal’s Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu at 8am on Sept 10 (10.15am Singapore time) to support the Himalayan country in its relief efforts for thousands affected by the devastating flash floods on Aug 26.

The humanitarian assistance package totalling about $560,000 comprised emergency response supplies, such as medical supplies, DNA test kits and personal protective equipment.

Nepal’s Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation Mahabir Pun was at the airport to receive the humanitarian aid.

Almost 1,400 people have been killed and over 5,000 are missing after the collapse of an ice shelf on the Nepal-China border triggered a torrent of mud, rocks and debris down the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers, pummelling villages along a 100km stretch downstream.

A Crisis Response Team of Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been on the ground in Nepal since Aug 27, working closely with the local authorities to locate nine missing Singaporeans.

On Sept 4, the Singapore Police Force (SPF), supported by the Home Team Science and Technology Agency and the Health Sciences Authority, deployed officers specialising in Disaster Victim Identification and aerial surveillance to assist the Nepali authorities.

Hundreds of victims’ bodies have been found washed downstream far from their home districts. The Nepal government is working to temporarily bury them in marked locations after extracting DNA for identification.

Nepal’s police and forensic labs have been collecting DNA from the relatives of the thousands missing in order to identify the victims. The DNA analysis is being done with the support of forensic teams from China, India, South Korea and Singapore.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Eugene Wang, the commander of the SPF’s Disaster Victim Identification team in Nepal, told The Straits Times: “We are here to help in the collective effort to identify the victims so that we can bring reconciliation and relief to the families.”

He also said that his team’s mission is to help identify victims of all nationalities, not just Singaporeans.

The humanitarian package that arrived on Sept 10 also included specialised equipment to support ongoing search, recovery and disaster victim identification efforts.

“The humanitarian assistance package that we are handing over today is a testament to the close relationship between our two countries,” said Gan Siow Huang, Singapore’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Trade and Industry, in a statement.

“We hope that our modest contribution will support the brave men and women on the ground, and bring comfort and relief to the people who are affected by this tragedy. We stand ready to provide further support in accordance with Nepal’s needs.”

Rohini Mohan is The Straits Times’ India Correspondent based in Bengaluru. She covers politics, business and human rights in the South Asian region.