(3rd LD) S. Korean response team heads to flood site in Nepal in search of 9 missing

South Korean officials have dispatched a rapid response team to Nepal in search of nine missing nationals following catastrophic flash floods. The team, comprising government officials and employees from Doosan Enerbility Co. and Korea South-East Power Co., took off from Kathmandu in two chartered helicopters to scour the flood-stricken area.

Six employees from Doosan Enerbility and three from Korea South-East Power remain missing, having been working at a hydroelectric power plant construction site in Nepal's north-central Himalayan border region. Nepali authorities have restricted foreign access to the area due to unpredictable weather and the risk of further flooding, hindering rescue efforts.

The government response team faces challenges in reaching the flood sites, but has secured clearance from local authorities for their ongoing search operations. The teams are prepared to deploy drones if necessary and have rented additional helicopters to aid in the search, as roads and bridges have been destroyed by the floods.

South Korea has offered to deploy a Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) if Nepali authorities agree, which would allow for the deployment of personnel and supplies for search and rescue, medical, and other relief missions.