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KUALA LUMPUR - The next of kin of the victims who have still not been traced after the mudslide tragedy in Nepal a week ago are preparing to submit their deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) samples and are just waiting for a call from the authorities to do so.
Sivakumar Kalimuthu, 57, husband of victim Kalai Mathe Karuppaiah, 57, said his children are now on standby and waiting for official notification to carry out the identity profile cross-reference procedure.
He said that although his three children are in Singapore, Langkawi and Selangor, they have been given an explanation and understand the important need to provide the samples.
"The children are all ready, wait for tomorrow or whenever they call since yesterday and today are holidays. The children who are in Selangor can go and their DNA can be used, we are just waiting for a call from the police," he said when contacted by Bernama today.
Earlier, a closed-door briefing session by the Foreign Ministry on Sunday informed that the next of kin of Malaysians who have yet to be traced are encouraged to undergo DNA testing at the state police contingent headquarters.
The move is among the initial preparations 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.
Commenting further, Sivakumar said his wife was among the Malaysian citizens who were reported to be still missing while following an expedition to Mount Kailash in Tibet, China, before losing contact due to the natural disaster.
Despite having to go through the DNA testing procedure, Sivakumar said he and his family still have high hopes and continue to pray that his wife is safe and can return home.
Wisma Putra informed that the number of Malaysians who have been reported to be uncontactable remains at 36 in China and 55 in Nepal following the devastating flash floods and landslides in the Rasuwa District, Nepal that occurred on Aug 26.
Anadolu Agency reported that the death toll from the devastating flash floods and landslides in Nepal and the Tibetan region of China has risen to 804, while nearly 3,300 are still missing. - BERNAMA
