9 Koreans missing in deadly Nepal floods; Seoul sends rapid response team

Severe flooding in Nepal's north-central Himalayan region has claimed at least 160 lives and left 403 others missing, including nine Koreans, according to the Korean government. The missing Koreans were working on the construction of a hydroelectric power plant in the Rasuwa region when the floods struck on Wednesday. Initially, only eight Koreans were reported missing, but the Korean Embassy in Nepal later confirmed that an additional Korean employee, hired locally by Doosan Enerbility, had also gone missing, bringing the total to nine.

An 11-member government rapid response team will depart from Incheon International Airport on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. to assist in the search and rescue efforts for the missing Koreans. The Seoul government has also confirmed that about 10 Korean employees of Doosan Enerbility, along with approximately 200 Nepali and other foreign workers, were stranded in the affected area. These workers have taken shelter in a safe location and are awaiting rescue alongside a consular official dispatched to the scene.