A massive flood and landslide struck the Rasuwa region of Nepal, near the border with Tibet, China, prompting the rapid spread of shocking videos across domestic online communities and social media on August 27.
The released footage shows a once-peaceful village suddenly engulfed by a torrent of muddy water. Other videos capture debris and water sweeping away bridges, roads, and vehicles, intensifying the shock. Some clips show residents on rooftops calling for help.
The disaster occurred on the morning of August 26 (local time) in the central-northern Rasuwa region and surrounding Himalayan mountainous areas. Landslides and floods in the border area between Nepal and Tibet overwhelmed villages and critical infrastructure, causing significant damage to roads, bridges, homes, and hydropower construction sites.
The sudden surge of muddy water inundated villages and roads, sweeping away vehicles and buildings, leading to the loss of contact with nine South Koreans working at a local hydropower construction site. In response, the South Korean government initiated emergency rescue efforts.
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 South Koreans were reported missing, but the Korean Embassy in Nepal later confirmed that one additional employee from Doosan Enerbility was also uncontactable, raising the total to nine.
Among the missing, six are from Doosan Enerbility and three from Korea Southeast Power. They are associated with the Upper Trishuli-1 (UT-1) hydropower construction site, located about 70 kilometers northwest of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.
Meanwhile, another group of ten South Koreans who were temporarily isolated in the area has been confirmed to have evacuated to safety.
Minister Park Jin of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs chaired a meeting of the Overseas Citizens Protection Headquarters on the night of August 26, stating that these individuals evacuated safely along with around 200 foreign workers, including Nepalese. He confirmed that they are safe with the South Korean consular staff 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 Citizens Protection Headquarters, dispatching a joint rapid response team composed of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Fire Agency, and the National Police Agency to Nepal on August 27. The Korean Embassy in Nepal has notified the Nepalese government of the missing South Koreans and requested active search and rescue efforts while sending consular staff to the site.
Doosan Enerbility also formed an emergency response headquarters on August 26 and is sending a field response team, including CEO Jeong Yeon-in, to the area on August 27. Korea Southeast Power is activating its emergency response system under the leadership of acting president Cho Young-hyuk to assess the local situation.
The exact cause of the flooding is still under investigation. However, local and foreign reports suggest that a recent earthquake may have caused glaciers and rocks to collapse, blocking rivers and leading to a sudden influx of water, resulting in the flash flood. Reuters reported that the flooding is believed to have been triggered by a 4.4 magnitude earthquake that caused glaciers and rocks to fall.
The scale of the damage continues to rise. While reports and local assessments vary, the latest foreign news reports indicate that at least 157 people have died in Nepal due to the floods and landslides that struck the border area with Tibet, with hundreds more reported missing. Among the missing, the Nepalese police and tourism authorities have identified foreign nationals from India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.
Rescue operations are facing challenges due to the destruction of roads and bridges in the affected areas, as well as disruptions to communication and power supply. Some regions are reportedly 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 circulated, prompting calls for the safe return of the missing South Koreans.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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