Sunday 9 August 2015

Bad weather hampers ferrying of bodies from Langtang


Adverse weather has hindered ferrying of eighteen corpses recovered from landslide debris in Langtang region of Rasuwa district some two weeks back. The bodies are believed to be of trekkers who were swept away by landslide and avalanche triggered after the Great Earthquake on April 25 in the area.

The bodies that are beyond recognition are waiting to be airlifted to Kathmandu for DNA testing.

DSP at District Police Office Prabin Pokhrel said they have not been able to reach the recovery site as the weather conditions have been too harsh for the past two weeks. Some locals of the Langtang area informed the police after they discovered the body and body parts, he said. "The bodies have been kept on a school ground in the area," said DSP Pokhrel. "Although the locals claim that the bodies are of their family and relatives, it will be ascertained only after undergoing DNA tests."

The bodies once airlifted will be ferried to the Forensic Unit of the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. From there, the samples from the body parts will undergo DNA testing at the Central Police Forensic Science Laboratory (CPFSL) of Nepal Police.

Laxmi Dhakal, spokesperson at the Ministry of Home Affairs, said the government has asked Nepal Army to airlift the bodies and the helicopter will move to the recovery site once the weather is clear.

One hundred and eighty persons including 39 foreigners are reported to have gone missing after the earthquake. From Rasuwa alone more than 100 complaints of missing people had been lodged of which 21 are locals, 61 are not native of the district, while 22 are foreigners.

Around 9,000 people have been reported dead while over 20,000 injured during the earthquake.

Sunday 9 August 2015

http://www.ekantipur.com/2015/08/09/top-story/bad-weather-hampers-ferrying-of-bodies-from-langtang/409195.html

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