As large-scale floods and landslides occur near the Nepal-China border, attention is focused on the Nepalese government's initial restrictions on the deployment of foreign search and rescue teams. This concern is heightened by past incidents of child trafficking that emerged during the 2015 earthquake, particularly the issue of so-called 'orphanage trafficking.'
On August 30, various online communities and social media platforms circulated posts titled 'Reasons Nepal is Reluctant to Accept Foreign Aid Workers.'
The posts recounted experiences from the 2015 disaster when approximately 9,000 people died in a major earthquake, leading to child protection issues becoming a new crisis. Research from that time indicated an increased risk of 'orphanage trafficking,' where children were separated from their families and sent to child facilities in Kathmandu. Reports also surfaced that some traffickers posed as aid workers to take children from affected areas.
In response, the Nepalese government restricted the movement of children between regions without the accompaniment of guardians or government approval and intensified monitoring of child facilities. They also temporarily halted the registration of new child facilities. The U.S. State Department's human rights report noted that after the 2015 earthquake, cases were reported where children who lost their parents or became vulnerable were handed over to strangers under the promise of education and safety.
Previously, issues surrounding fake orphanages targeting foreign volunteers and donors had been raised in Nepal. Academic studies analyzed the situation as a time when the risks of child institutionalization and trafficking could simultaneously increase.
However, the Nepalese government did not explicitly state that the direct cause of the current restrictions on foreign rescue teams was the 2015 child trafficking issue. The official reason given was that local rescue agencies could handle the search and rescue operations and that it was in accordance with the on-site command structure.
As this situation became known, domestic netizens reacted with comments such as, 'I didn't understand why they refused help, but now I see why. It's terrible,' 'They are in the worst position, caught between China and India,' 'How could they do this? All the evil doers will face divine punishment,' 'It's too cruel to those who are already suffering,' and 'I see the devil today as well.'
Meanwhile, the Nepalese government initially stated that it would conduct search and rescue operations solely with its own agencies but later agreed to accept limited support from foreign experts. Experts and technical teams from South Korea, India, China, and Australia are now able to assist in areas such as tunnel rescue, DNA testing, and forensic analysis.
On August 30, specialized teams from India, China, and South Korea moved to the affected areas and hydropower sites to provide search and rescue support. A tunnel rescue team from India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was deployed, and teams from China and South Korea also began operations in the affected areas.
The damage from the floods continues to escalate. According to Reuters, as of August 30, 781 people have died in Nepal, with more than 2,500 still missing. Rescue operations are ongoing for those believed to be trapped inside a hydropower plant tunnel.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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