A massive flood and landslide struck the border region between Nepal and Tibet, China, with videos of the situation rapidly spreading online in South Korea.
On August 26, videos from the Rasuwagadhi area in Nepal showed a sudden surge of muddy water engulfing what appeared to be a peaceful village. Other footage captured debris and water sweeping away bridges, roads, and vehicles, adding to the shock. Some videos showed residents on rooftops calling for help.
The disaster occurred in the Himalayan region of central-northern Nepal, where landslides and floods hit villages and critical infrastructure. Roads, bridges, homes, and a hydropower construction site suffered significant damage.
The sudden influx of muddy water overwhelmed villages and roads, cutting off contact with nine South Koreans working at a local hydropower construction site. In response, the South Korean government initiated an emergency rescue operation.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, nine South Korean employees from Korea Southeast Power and Doosan Enerbility, who were involved in the hydropower project, are currently unreachable. Initially, eight were reported missing, but the South Korean embassy in Nepal confirmed that one more employee from Doosan Enerbility is also unaccounted for.
Among the nine missing, six are from Doosan Enerbility and three from Korea Southeast Power. They were associated with the Upper Trishuli-1 (UT-1) hydropower project, located about 70 kilometers northwest of Kathmandu.
Meanwhile, another group of ten South Koreans who were temporarily isolated in the area has been confirmed safe after evacuating to a secure location.
Foreign Minister Park Jin chaired a meeting of the Overseas Korean Protection Headquarters on the night of August 26, stating that these individuals evacuated alongside around 200 foreign workers, including Nepalese, and confirmed their safety with the consulate dispatched to the area. Nepalese authorities have deployed helicopters for rescue operations.
The South Korean government has also taken immediate action. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs established an Overseas Korean Protection Headquarters, dispatching a rapid response team composed of officials from the ministry, the National Fire Agency, and the National Police Agency to Nepal on August 27. The South Korean embassy in Nepal has notified the Nepalese government of the missing South Koreans and requested active search and rescue efforts while sending a consular official to the site.
Doosan Enerbility has set up an emergency response headquarters and is sending a field response team, including CEO Jeong Yeon-in, to the area on August 27. Korea Southeast Power is also activating its emergency response system under the leadership of acting president Cho Young-hyuk to assess the situation.
The exact cause of the flooding is still under investigation. However, local and foreign reports suggest that a recent earthquake may have triggered the collapse of glaciers and rocks, blocking rivers and leading to a sudden flood. Reuters reported that the flooding is believed to have been caused by the collapse of glaciers and rocks following a magnitude 4.4 earthquake.
The scale of the damage continues to rise. While reports vary, the latest foreign news indicates that at least 157 people have died in Nepal due to the floods and landslides, with hundreds more missing. Among the missing, the Nepalese police and tourism authorities have reported foreign nationals from India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.
Rescue operations are facing challenges due to destroyed roads and bridges, as well as disruptions to communication and power supply. Some areas remain difficult to access due to landslides and debris.
As the whereabouts of the nine South Koreans remain unknown, the government, local authorities, and companies are intensifying search and rescue efforts. In South Korea, videos of the flood that suddenly engulfed the village have sparked calls for the safe return of the missing individuals.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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