Seoul: The South Korean government has deployed a joint emergency response team to Nepal to aid in search and rescue operations for nine South Korean nationals who have gone missing following severe flooding, as reported by the foreign ministry.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the missing individuals include six employees from Doosan Enerbility Co., a plant construction company, and three from Korea South-East Power Co., a state-run power generation company. These workers were at a hydropower plant construction site in Nepal's Rasuwa district when a flash flood and mudslide hit the area on Wednesday.
In addition, 10 other employees from Doosan who were stranded in the area have been confirmed safe. However, they are still awaiting rescue. These individuals evacuated alongside approximately 200 other foreign workers engaged in the construction project.
The catastrophic event in Nepal's north-central Himalayan region, close to the Nepal-Tibet border, has resulted in at least 160 fatalities and left 403 people unaccounted for, with 341 of them being foreigners, based on reports from foreign media.
The South Korean emergency team, consisting of 11 members from the foreign ministry, police, and fire authorities, departed for Nepal on Thursday and is expected to arrive in Kathmandu by the evening.
Corporate officials have stated that both Doosan and Korea South-East Power Co. have established their own emergency response teams and will be sending field response teams to the disaster site.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has committed to discussing the situation with Nepal's foreign minister to seek cooperation. Meanwhile, President Lee Jae Myung has directed the South Korean government to utilize all available resources for the search and rescue mission.
The two Korean companies are working on the Upper Trishuli-1 (UT-1) hydropower plant on the Trishuli River, located approximately 70 kilometers northwest of Kathmandu. The 216-megawatt plant, which began construction in January 2022, was anticipated to be completed by year-end. However, industry experts predict that flood damage will significantly delay the project.