Kathmandu: South Korean response teams in Nepal continued searching Saturday for nine nationals still missing after devastating flash floods, attempting to reach the site using helicopters and drones. Six employees of Doosan Enerbility Co. and three of Korea South-East Power Co. remain unaccounted for a fourth day following the massive floods in Nepal's north-central Himalayan border area. They were working at a hydroelectric power plant construction site in the Rasuwa district when the floods struck the region Wednesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, ten other Doosan workers who had been isolated at a different location have been moved to safety. An official from Korea South-East Power stated that the company plans to resume the helicopter search Saturday, having conducted a brief search on Friday but failing to locate the missing people. The company believes the missing individuals could be at the base camp, and plans to thoroughly search that area if helicopter clearance is obtained.
Doosan has also received clearance for search operations and plans to deploy drones to explore potential shelter locations where the missing employees may be awaiting rescue. However, the government-led response team has yet to receive authorization for helicopter searches, as Nepali authorities have restricted foreign access due to unpredictable weather and the risk of further flooding.
Seoul's foreign ministry announced that an additional team of nine, including firefighters, will join the existing 11-member response team in Nepal. The government and corporate rescue teams have rented six helicopters to aid the search for the missing, as the floods have destroyed roads and bridges, complicating access.
Lim Sang-woo, head of the government rapid response team, speaking to reporters in Kathmandu, expressed commitment to ensuring swift search and rescue operations. Despite search efforts coordinated with the Nepali military, the missing individuals have yet to be located, prompting consideration of expanding the search along the Trishuli River downstream.
The return travel plans for the 10 rescued Koreans are still undecided. A foreign ministry official emphasized the need for rest and assessment of their health conditions before air travel. In Seoul, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met with the families of those still missing, offering support during the ongoing crisis.
The catastrophic floods have claimed nearly 600 lives, with approximately 2,500 people unaccounted for. Concerns of secondary flooding are mounting as barrier lakes, formed by debris from the collapsed Himalayan glacier, begin to overflow.