Inp.polri.go.id - Padang. The Indonesian National Police (INP)’s Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team is working around the clock to identify victims of the West Sumatra natural disaster, which has killed 193 people as of Wednesday, according to provincial authorities. 

The team is operating from Bhayangkara Hospital in Padang, where most bodies have been brought for examination.

“Our DVI teams are working extra hours to ensure every victim is identified properly,” said West Sumatra Police Head of Public Relations Senior Superintendent Susmelawati Rosya on Wednesday (3/12/2025), as cited by antaranews.com.

Of the 193 fatalities, 161 victims have been identified, while 32 bodies remain under analysis. Another 216 people are reported missing, prompting ongoing search operations across affected districts. 

Police said the main challenge is the condition of bodies found days after the disaster, making visual identification difficult. To resolve this, DVI officers are collecting DNA reference samples from families through cheek swabs before sending them to Jakarta for matching.

Police urge relatives of missing persons to visit DVI posts immediately.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)