With nine Korean nationals missing and 10 awaiting rescue after a massive flood in Nepal's Rasuwa region, authorities said no other reports of Korean casualties have been received so far. As about 20,000 Koreans visit Nepal annually for tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is continuing to check for additional damage.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 27th, the 11-member government joint rapid response team, led by Director General Lim Sang-woo, the government representative for overseas Korean protection and consular affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, departed Incheon International Airport at 1:40 p.m. and is scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, at about 9:45 p.m.
The rapid response team is composed of personnel from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Korean National Police Agency, and the National Fire Agency. Upon arrival, it plans to support search and rescue activities for missing Korean nationals in coordination with Nepalese authorities.
In a text notice the same day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "Aside from the nine unaccounted for and the 10 awaiting rescue, no other Korean casualties have been reported," adding, "There is nothing new to share regarding the nine whose contact has been lost." The nine Koreans currently out of contact are three employees of Korea South-East Power Co. (KOEN) and six employees of Doosan Enerbility who had been building a hydropower plant in Rasuwa.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Park Doo-soon said at a regular briefing, "The 10 Korean nationals currently awaiting rescue are waiting together with other foreign employees," adding, "They are understood to be in a safe situation with our dispatched consul." The 10 Koreans awaiting rescue are employees of Doosan Enerbility; all have been confirmed safe but are stranded locally and awaiting rescue.
Regarding the number of missing, which rose from more than 400 on the first day of the flood in Nepal to 826 in a single day, Park, the spokesperson, said, "We are checking whether there is any additional damage to our nationals, such as additional missing Korean tourists, and are closely monitoring for any further damage that may occur, including the nine currently unaccounted for."
Park also said about sending additional rescue teams or reinforcing the rapid response team, "If necessary, we will take all necessary measures, including reinforcement," adding, "President Lee Jae-myung has ordered us to mobilize every available means with top priority on the lives and safety of our people. We will provide support in cooperation with relevant ministries as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."
Meanwhile, according to Reuters and others, Nepal police said 826 people were missing after large-scale flooding in the Bagmati Province area in the north on the day. The number of missing was counted at 484 the previous day, but roughly doubled in a day as reports continued to come in.
The death toll, which had been counted at 160 the previous day, rose further as search operations continued. Nepal police said they had recovered 165 bodies as of the day.