On September 8, the Korean international emergency rescue team (KDRT) conducted search and rescue operations in Nepal's flood-affected areas. Despite focusing their efforts on regions requested by the families of missing South Koreans, they reported no significant findings.
According to Yonhap News, the team traveled with two helicopters to the Rasuwagadhi area in central-northern Bagmati Province. They attempted searches around the Upper Trishuli (UT)-1 hydropower plant's powerhouse and the surrounding mountainous areas near the main camp.
This area was specifically requested by the families of the missing individuals.
One helicopter landed near the powerhouse, while the other landed at a Nepalese military base camp located six kilometers away.
The team that landed at the powerhouse, following the Nepalese military's assessment that the steep terrain was unsuitable for foot searches, concentrated their efforts using drones.
Another team attempted a foot search along a temporary road upstream to find possible evacuation points but halted when the road was blocked. They conducted drone searches for about an hour and 40 minutes.
However, KDRT stated, "No unusual findings related to the missing persons were discovered."
During a briefing in Batar, Bagmati Province, KDRT's Chief of Rescue Operations, Cho Hyun-moon, expressed feelings of helplessness due to the unique nature of the disaster and the geographical challenges, stating, "We are doing our best in a situation where our citizens are unaccounted for, but I feel sorry and regretful for the limitations we face."
Meanwhile, as of today, the death toll from the massive flooding that occurred in the Himalayan mountainous region on August 26 has reached 1,358 in Nepal alone. Including 43 fatalities from landslides in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China related to the flooding, the total death toll stands at 1,401.
The number of missing persons is reported to be 5,845, comprising 5,326 from Nepal and 519 from the Tibet region.
Among the missing are nine South Korean workers who were employed at the UT-1 hydropower plant, including six from Doosan Enerbility and three from Korea South-East Power.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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