A body was found in the tunnel of a local hydropower plant where nine Koreans missing after Nepal's massive flood had worked. The nationality and identity of the body have not yet been confirmed.
According to AFP on the 31st (local time), the Nepal Army said rescuers recovered a body from the tunnel of the Upper Trishuli (UT)-1 plant in Bagmati Province in the north-central region.
The Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower plant is under construction by Korea South-East Power Co. (KOEN) and Doosan Enerbility, and is the site where nine Koreans who lost contact in the flood had been working.
A Chinese tunnel rescue team deployed to Nepal's operation advanced about 300 meters into the tunnel and found the body during a search. However, the specific identity of the body, including nationality, has not yet been determined.
Doosan Enerbility also deployed one helicopter to the site that day to search for the missing Koreans. The helicopter conducted search operations while flying over the office building where the missing people had stayed and the upper weir dam area.
Mohan Kumar Dangi, president of the Independent Power Producers' Association of Nepal, told the AP that 576 people are out of contact at the Upper Trishuli-1 plant, and about 300 of them are believed to be trapped inside the tunnel.
Search and rescue operations are continuing at nearby hydropower plants as well. Rescuers recovered two additional bodies from the tunnel of the Chilime Hydropower Plant.
An Indian tunnel rescue team that joined Nepal's rescuers advanced about 100 meters into the tunnel, but is reportedly facing difficulties moving farther in because mud and other debris are blocking the passage.