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

: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Rohini Mohan Updated Sep 10, 2026, PM Set as preferred source Listen Summarise Singapore sent humanitarian aid worth about S$560,000 to Nepal, including medical supplies, DNA test kits, and protective equipment, to support relief efforts after devastating flash floods. Singapore's Crisis Response Team and Police Force experts have been assisting Nepal since late August in locating missing people and identifying victims through DNA analysis. The aid reflects strong bilateral ties, with Singapore committed to ongoing efforts which aim to help victims' families and bolster support in accordance with Nepal’s needs. AI generated 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 26. The humanitarian assistance package totalling about S$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 100-km 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. The humanitarian assistance package comprised emergency response supplies, such as medical supplies, DNA test kits and personal protective equipment. ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO On Sept 4, the Singapore Police Force (SPF), supported , deployed officers specialising in Disaster Victim Identification and aerial surveillance to assist 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 match them with 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 (DVI) 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.