Singapore announced today, Wednesday, that it plans to send a second team of police officers and forensic specialists to Nepal to assist in efforts to identify the bodies of victims of landslides that have claimed more than 1,000 lives.
Singapore’s Channel NewsAsia reported that a 14-member team will leave Singapore to join 17 police officers and two specialists who have already departed for Nepal yesterday and today. This will bring the total number of Singaporean personnel involved in aerial surveillance and disaster victim identification efforts in Nepal to 33.
Singapore is also set to provide humanitarian assistance, including contributions from civilian sources and the Singapore Armed Forces. In addition, the government will contribute US$100,000 to a public fundraising campaign launched by the Singapore Red Cross, which has raised around S$1 million so far. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also sent a response team to Nepal to provide consular assistance to Singaporean citizens affected by the disaster.
Rescue teams in Nepal are still searching for survivors a week after the disaster, using excavation, drilling and controlled blasting operations to clear the debris. More than 1,100 bodies have been recovered, while around 4,500 people remain missing.