A quiet, somber queue formed outside the testing rooms at Thanjavur Medical College and Hospital on Saturday as families sought answers to an agonizing wait. Twenty-three relatives of tourists who went missing during the recent catastrophic floods in Nepal stepped forward to provide blood samples, taking a painful but necessary step toward identifying their loved ones.

Key Facts

  • 23 relatives provided blood samples on Saturday, September 5, 2026.
  • Samples were collected at Thanjavur Medical College and Hospital for DNA cross-matching.
  • The missing travelers were part of a tour organised by a Kumbakonam-based travel agency.
  • At least 16 tourists were from Thanjavur district, while others hailed from neighboring and northern districts of Tamil Nadu.
  • District Collector R. Revathi reviewed the collection drive in person.

The Search for Answers Through DNA Matching

Official authorities confirmed that the primary objective of gathering genetic material from immediate family members is to extract DNA profiles. These profiles will be cross-referenced with unidentified bodies recovered by the Nepal administration amid the flood wreckage across the Himalayan nation.

The procedural step comes as hope competes with dread for families who have not heard from their kin since the flash floods tore through their travel routes.

A Tour Across Tamil Nadu Districts

The missing travelers had embarked on the Nepal tour through an agency based in Kumbakonam. While 16 of the tourists were residents of Thanjavur district alone, several other group members belonged to neighboring districts as well as northern regions of Tamil Nadu.

Because the tour drew participants from multiple parts of the state, authorities noted that the blood sample collection drive is not a one-day exercise. Officials confirmed that medical teams will continue collecting samples over the next few days to ensure every missing tourist's family is documented.

Administrative Oversight on the Ground

Thanjavur District Collector R. Revathi visited the hospital on September 5 to personally inspect and review the blood sample collection process, ensuring protocol was adhered to and families received necessary assistance during the difficult procedure. As disaster relief and recovery operations continue across Nepal, medical and administrative teams in Tamil Nadu remain focused on speeding up the identification pipeline.