Singapore delivered a humanitarian aid package to Nepal on September 10 to support the country’s ongoing relief efforts following severe flash floods triggered by an ice shelf collapse along the Nepal-China border. The assistance arrived at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu at 8 a.m. local time (10:15 a.m. Singapore time).

The aid, valued at approximately $560,000, includes emergency response supplies such as medical materials, DNA test kits, and personal protective equipment. The shipment aims to assist in search, recovery, and disaster victim identification operations in the aftermath of the catastrophic flood that struck on August 26. Nepal’s Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Mahanta Pun, was present at the airport to receive the humanitarian support.

The disaster ensued after an ice shelf gave way, unleashing a flood of mud, rocks, and debris down the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers. The torrent devastated villages along a 100-kilometer stretch, resulting in nearly 1,400 confirmed deaths and leaving more than 5,000 people missing. Hundreds of victims’ bodies have been recovered downstream, some far from their home districts. Authorities are working to temporarily inter the remains at marked locations following DNA extraction to aid in identification.

Since August 27, a Crisis Response Team from Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been deployed in Nepal to coordinate with local agencies and assist in locating nine missing Singaporean nationals. On September 4, the Singapore Police Force (SPF), supported by the Home Team Science and Technology Agency and the Health Sciences Authority, sent specialists in Disaster Victim Identification along with aerial surveillance personnel to assist Nepali authorities.

Nepalese police and forensic laboratories have been collecting DNA samples from relatives of those missing to facilitate victim identification. This work is supported by forensic experts from China, India, South Korea, and Singapore. Eugene Wang, Assistant Commissioner of Police and commander of the SPF’s Disaster Victim Identification team, emphasized that their efforts focus on identifying victims of all nationalities to provide closure and assistance to affected families.

Gan Siow Huang, Singapore’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Industry, described the aid package as a reflection of the close ties between the two countries. She expressed hope that the contribution would assist frontline responders and provide relief to those impacted by the disaster, affirming Singapore’s readiness to offer further assistance based on Nepal’s evolving needs.