Disaster:- The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology defines disaster as "sudden or great calamity". A disaster can be defined as “an unexpected natural or manmade event that may result in personal injury, mass fatalities, property and infrastructural damage. These events can be a result of natural events such as earthquakes and typhoons, accidents (aircraft, rail, maritime, industrial), terrorist activities and conflicts.” Types of Disaster:- All disasters can be broadly divided into two categories -Natural and Manrnade disasters. Natural Disasters are not controllable as, indeed, nature is not controllable -such events are often termed as 'acts of God'. The Man-made disasters on the other hand are a rapidly increasing phenomenon in the present day Technological Society and occur as a result of human failure or error or malfunction of some structure or system designed by man. Similarly, while there is sometimes an element of warning in natural disaster. There is generally none in man-made disaster and this lack of warning makes avoidance difficult. Both types of disasters can cause visible damage to a familiar environment, but some technological disasters do not have this effect like nuclear pollution from an accident like that at Chernobyl may be catastrophic, yet cause no visible damage. Whilst Natural Disaster is often predictable to some degree, technological disaster is not. Technological catastrophes are never supposed to happen and hence predictability is not an issue. The King's Cross Underground fire in November 1987 killing 31 persons and causing horrendous injuries could not have been foreseen as escalators are not supposed to erupt into flames. Following are the different types of disasters under the above mentioned categories:- 1. Natural Disasters:- can be of the following types. a) Famines b) Floods c) Storms d) Droughts, and e) Epidemics 2. Man-made Disasters:- a) Air, Rail and Sea disasters b) Fires c) Explosions d) Building collapse disasters e) Industrial accidents f) Football Tragedies g) Holocausts in Civilian Violence, Terrorism and Mass shootings. h) Mass suicides, e.g. Jonestown suicides. 2. Disaster Victim Identification Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) refers to a respectful, systematic and orderly process undertaken in response to a multiple fatality incident with the aim of scientifically identifying the deceased casualties of the incident so that they can be returned to their relatives. The process involves matching post-mortem information from a deceased individual with ante‐mortem information of a missing person and through this identifying the deceased individual. DVI is a multi‐disciplinary activity that relies on a range of comparative scientific and non‐scientific methods to identify human remains. A DVI operation is typically part of the ‘response phase’ to a multiple fatality event and usually becomes fully operational at the conclusion of the rescue and evacuation part of the operation.

1. DISASTER VICTIM IDENTIFICATION
(DVI)
Government Institute of Forensic Science, Nagpur.
Presented By,
Palash Mehar
M.Sc. Forensic Science Part-II (Sem-IV)
Specialization:
Forensic Biology & Serology
Guided By,
Dr. Archana Mahakalkar
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Forensic Biology
Govt. IFSc., Nagpur.

2. Table of Contents!
1. INTRODUCTION
Disaster and its types
5. COORDINATING A DVI RESPONSE
WITH OTHER DISCIPLINES
2. DISASTER VICTIM IDENTIFICATION
Definition and Classifications
6. THE PHASES OF THE DVI PROCESS
Phase I: Scene
Phase II: Ante-mortem
Phase III: Post-mortem
Phase IV: Reconciliation
3. IMPORTANCE OF IDENTIFYING THE
DISASTER VICTIMS
4. METHODS OF IDENTIFICATION
Primary Method
Secondary Method
7.CASE STUDIES
8. CONCLUSION
9. REFERENCES

3. What is Disaster ?
●The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology defines disaster as
"sudden or great calamity".
●A disaster can be defined as “an unexpected natural or manmade event
that may result in personal injury, mass fatalities, ecological disruption,
property and infrastructural damage”.
• Meteorological
• Topographical/ Geographical
• Biological
Natural Disaster
• Technological
• Industrial related
• Security related
Manmade
Disaster

4. D - Destructions
I - Incidents
S - Sufferings
A - Administrative, Financial failures
S - Sentiments
T - Tragedies
E - Eruption of communicable diseases
R - Research Program and its implementation
DISASTER

5. DISASTER VICTIM IDENTIFICATION
(DVI)
● Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) refers to a respectful, systematic and
orderly process undertaken in response to a multiple fatality incident with the
aim of scientifically identifying the deceased casualties of the incident so
that they can be returned to their relatives.
● The process involves matching post-mortem information from a deceased
individual with ante‐mortem information of a missing person and through
this identifying the deceased individual.
● DVI is a multi‐disciplinary activity that relies on a range of comparative
scientific and non‐scientific methods to identify human remains.

6. Disaster Classification
Open Disaster
• An open disaster is a major catastrophic event resulting in the
death of a number of unknown individuals for whom no prior
records or descriptive data are available.
• e. g. An open disaster is found in public gatherings where there
is no formal list available that would highlight potential
victims.
Closed Disaster
• A closed disaster is a major catastrophic event resulting in the
death of a number of individuals belonging to a fixed,
identifiable group.
• e.g. aircraft crash with passenger list.

7. INTERPOL has played an important
role in DVI work for more than two
decades.
In 1984, the first DVI manual was
published and is regularly updated and
circulated among member countries.
INTERPOL has suggested the use of
standard dental identification charts, both
Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem, in the
identification procedures.
What is the Role of
INTERPOL in DVI ?

8. ● It enables the investigators to
know about the modus operandi
in case of man-made disasters.
● Establishing the personal identity
of victim.
● To enable the reconstruction of
the scene of occurrence.
Why is it Importance to
Identifying the Disaster
Victims ?
•To know the number of casualties
that had been occurred and listing
the number of missing persons.
•To know the extent of loss that has
occurred to the assets, including
property.

9. Methods of Identification
Source: INTERPOL DVI GUIDE

10. There are many specialist agencies involved in a disaster response
and it is therefore important to acknowledge and appreciate that
each has a very important function and area of responsibility.
Coordinating a DVI Response with Other Disciplines
DVI teams:
Emergency response specialists (e.g. Police, Fire, Ambulance).
Rescue Units (e.g. Search and Rescue).
Investigation units (e.g. Crime and Fire investigators).
Forensic Services (e.g. Scene and Post Blast examiners).
Disaster Investigation Unit (e.g. Air Safety).
Intelligence Unit.
Public Information Unit (e.g. Media).

11. Source: INTERPOL DVI GUIDE

12. Specialists
 Forensic Pathologists.
 Forensic Odontologists.
 Fingerprint Experts (Friction Ridge
Experts).
 Forensic Biologists / Geneticists.
 Forensic Anthropologists.

13. The Phases of the DVI Process
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4
The Scene phase
(processing human remains and
property at the disaster site).
The Reconciliation phase
(matching post-mortem and
ante-mortem data).
The Post-mortem phase
(detailed examination of human
remains in mortuary).
The Ante-mortem phase
(collection of missing person
data from various sources).

14. The Scene Phase
1. SEARCHING
2. SCENE GRIDDING
3. LABELING
4. TAKING RECORDS
5. COVERING THE REMAINS
6. EVIDENCE COLLECTION
7. EVACUATION
Phase I
ACTIVITIES AT THE SCENE :
Searching of human remains
Remains recovered
A basic grid layout for disaster

15. POST MORTEM PHASE
The objectives of an autopsy are to:
● Satisfy legal requirements of the respective country.
● Establish cause, manner and mechanism of death.
● Determine survival time leading to death.
● Collect data for Identification purposes.
● Document key information including injuries and evidence for
investigation purposes.
Phase II
Purpose of the Post-Mortem Process

16. POST MORTEM PHASE
1. GENERAL & PHYSICAL
EXAMINATION
2. PHOTOGRAPHY
3. AUTOPSY
4. DENTAL EXAMINATION
5. SAMPLING FOR DNA PROFILE
Phase II
PROCESS IN THE MORTUARY

17. Fig. During the post‐mortem process remains pass through each examining
discipline in a predetermined order.
Source: Taylor, J., & Kieser, J. (2016). Forensic odontology (pp. 228-281). John Wiley & Sons Inc.

18. POST MORTEM ACTIVITIES
Image source: Lisda Cancer, DVI Indonesia

19. ANTE MORTEM PHASE
● Ante Mortem Data Collection
Ante Mortem Skin
Friction Ridge Records
Ante Mortem DNA
Ante Mortem Dental
Records
● Family Assistance Centre
Phase III
ACTIVITIES :
SOURCES :
•Missing Persons Database List
•Family, Dentist, Police
•NCB-INTERPOL, Embassy

20. Source: INTERPOL DVI GUIDE

21. RECONCILIATION PHASE
 Comparison of Ante Mortem and Post
Mortem data.
 Confirm the identity to the satisfaction of
the Identification Board
Phase IV
ACTIVITIES :

22. CASE STUDIES
1. Uttarakhand Disaster
2. Haiti Earthquake

23. Date of incidence: 17 June 2013-26 June 2013
Estimated Casualty: 5748 dead, 4120 missing
CASE STUDY #1
Uttarakhand Disaster The rescue mission began in around
24 hours, with the help of the authorities
from the other states and with the help
of NDMA as per the guidelines of
INTERPOL.
The first list that was released of the
victims included, a missing list of 4120
people that included around 92
foreigners, due to the intensity of the
disaster all of the victims were
presumed to be dead.
Image Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/uttarakhand-disaster-was-result-of-extreme-rains-and-haphazard-development-report-41666

24. CASE STUDY #1
Uttarakhand Disaster
Help from army, navy and ITBP was
also taken to intensify the rescue
response so as to enable fast
identification. Rescue mission conducted
by IAF saved around 18424 people till 30
June, 2013 and around 33009 pilgrims in
corresponding 15 days.
The response team had the task of
collection of DNA samples and the
removal and cremation of the dead
bodies found on the scene of crime and
to reduce any further chances of future
encounter of such event.
Image Source: https://www.internationalrivers.org/news/international-rivers-stands-in-solidarity-with-the-people-affected-by-the-2021-uttarakhand-disaster/

25. Date of incidence: 12 January 2010
Time of incidence: 02:33 am
Estimated casualty: 220000
CASE STUDY #2
Haiti Earthquake
•Earthquake having a measure of 7.0 hit
the coast of Haiti east causing a major
loss to assets both including life and
property on 12 January 2010. The
estimated loss of life is considered to be
around 220000 people.
•The damage caused due to the
earthquake that left around 1000000
people homeless. The UN facilities in
Port-Au- Prince were also damaged.
2010 Haiti earthquake
Image Source: https://www.britannica.com/event/2010-Haiti-earthquake

26. CASE STUDY #2
Haiti Earthquake
•The rescue mission began in 24 hours
after the incidence occurred. The
deceased were transported to the
refrigeration units within 2 days. Chain of
custody was prepared involving all the
evidences present on the scene of
occurrence. The identification of the
deceased was done through comparison of
dental records, DNA analysis and
fingerprint records. Personal effects were
also collected to aid identification.
•Most of the deceased except 51 victims
were identified. The rest of the deceased
were buried as per the guidelines given by
INTERPOL.
Image Source: https://www.britannica.com/event/2010-Haiti-earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake

27. CONCLUSION
• The Mass Disaster Managements are essential for identification of the
Casualties and Dead bodies of the victims.
• The use of forensic techniques such as radiographs used in dental
examination and by anthropologists can speed up the investigation
procedure. DNA fingerprinting of the victim and the suspected relatives can
enable identification.
• India needs DVI, due to geographic and demographic condition.
• Effort has to be done to improve DVI capacity and capability.
• Coordination and cooperation is needed both national and internationally.
• The quick decision on handling of the DVI operations teams are needed on
the field, which are publish and trained on the DVI personnel such as
Management of the Dead Bodies After Disaster; a Field Manual for First
Responders (ICRC-WHO-PAHO-IFRC) and INTERPOL DBI Guide.

28. REFERENCES
1) Disaster Victim Identification (DVI). Interpol.int. Retrieved 10 May 2021, from https://www.interpol.int/en/How-we-
work/Forensics/Disaster-Victim-Identification-DVI.
2) Taylor, J., & Kieser, J. (2016). Forensic odontology (pp. 228-281). John Wiley & Sons Inc.
3) INTERPOL Disaster Victim Identification Guide. Interpol.int. (2018). Retrieved 10 May 2021, from
https://www.interpol.int/en/content/download/621/file/FS-02_2018-03_EN_DVI.pdf.
4) Black, S. (2011). Disaster Victim Identification. CRC Press.
5) Ellis, P. (2019). Modern advances in disaster victim identification. Forensic Sciences Research, 4(4), 291-292.
https://doi.org/10.1080/20961790.2019.1678798
6) Nuzzolese, E. (2021). DVI and Human Rights - Interpol DVI meeting 2013. Slideshare.net. Retrieved 9 May 2021, from
https://www.slideshare.net/EmilioNuzzolese/nuzzolese-emiliodvi-and-human-rightsinterpol-meeting-2013-65159776.
7) Chauhan, I., Puri, P., & Shukla, S. (2020). Disaster Victim Identification: A Strand that Connects to Forensics. Austin
Journal Of Forensic Science And Criminology, 7(1). Retrieved 11 May 2021, from
https://austinpublishinggroup.com/forensicscience-criminology/download.php?file=fulltext/ajfsc-v7-id1082.pdf.
8) Cancer, L. Disaster Victim Identification [Video]. Retrieved 10 May 2020, from Forensic Odontology Conference.

29. THANK YOU!