‘They’ll be finding bodies next year’: a renowned forensic scientist on Nepal’s ‘extreme challenges’
Prof Richard Bassed helped identify Boxing Day tsunami and victims of Australia’s catastrophic Black Saturday bushfires. ‘The randomness of this massive flood,’ he says. ‘That gets to you’
TL;DR
- Forensic scientist Prof Richard Bassed anticipates that bodies from the Nepal-Tibet flood may be found next year, with some potentially never being identified.
- Difficult terrain, inadequate communications, and limited resources are major obstacles for recovery efforts.
- Bassed, who assisted in identifying victims of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami and the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, notes that even in less complex situations, identification can take a year or more.
- Authorities are utilizing DNA profiling, with relatives urged to provide blood samples and photographs.
- Challenges include the risk of mudslides, cross-border coordination, overwhelmed local infrastructure, and differing cultural beliefs regarding the handling of the deceased.
- First responders are trained to follow guidelines for documenting and temporarily storing bodies to aid later identification.
- While DNA and photographs are key, advanced technologies like AI, facial recognition, and CT scanning are being explored but face practical and ethical hurdles.
- Bassed finds the randomness of such disasters emotionally impactful, particularly when children are involved.