The Indian Embassy in Beijing has requested DNA samples for missing Indians following the catastrophic August 26 flood and mudslide near the Nepal-Tibet border. Families have been asked to follow CODIS and DNA rules as identification and rescue efforts continue.
CODIS
The Embassy of India in Beijing said families willing to assist identification efforts should submit DNA information in the internationally recognised Combined DNA Index System, or CODIS, format. The standardised profiles will be forwarded to Chinese authorities so they can compare them with DNA information collected during recovery operations.
If authorities confirm a match, they will inform the Indian Embassy, which will then contact the affected family. The process is intended to help identify Indian nationals who remain unaccounted for following the disaster. Government broadcaster Akashvani also reported the embassy's September 7 request for CODIS-formatted DNA information.
DNA Rules
The embassy has advised families to provide blood samples from the closest available biological relatives. Parents are given priority, while samples may also come from a spouse and children. Where possible, officials recommend collecting samples from multiple children to improve the comparison process.
If parents or children are unavailable, siblings can provide samples, preferably from more than one sibling. Maternal or paternal relatives may also be considered when closer relatives are unavailable. DNA STR information is required for the samples, while Y-STR data should also be included when the missing person is male.
Embassy
Every submission should clearly identify the missing person's nationality, name and passport number. It should also include the relative's name and passport number along with the individual sample identification number.
Families seeking guidance can contact the Embassy of India in Beijing at +86 18514284905 or [email protected]. The embassy's official community assistance page confirms the same mobile number for consular assistance to Indian nationals in China.
Tibet Flood
The August 26 disaster followed an ice-and-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border, which sent a powerful surge of water, mud and debris downstream. Communities and infrastructure along the affected river corridors suffered extensive damage, including roads, bridges, settlements and hydropower facilities.
Chinese authorities reported that 49 Indian nationals were among 261 foreign nationals unaccounted for in Tibet following the disaster. Authorities from India, Nepal and China have since worked to establish the status of foreign nationals caught in the affected border region.
Rescue
Search, recovery and identification operations remain underway as authorities work across difficult terrain and heavily damaged infrastructure. DNA matching has become an important part of the effort to establish the identities of recovered victims and provide reliable information to families.
Indian authorities have continued coordinating with Chinese officials over missing nationals, while rescue personnel across the region are searching affected settlements and disaster sites. For families awaiting news, the embassy's DNA initiative could provide a crucial route toward identification and closure.
