네팔 사망자 1066명…한국인 수색 성과는 ‘아직’

One week after the massive flooding in Nepal and China's Tibet region, the death toll has risen to 1,066, according to Nepal and Chinese sources. Nine Korean nationals remain missing, with no word on their fate. AFP reports that Nepal's disaster authorities have confirmed 1,050 flood-related deaths in the country, while 3,916 are still missing.

In Tibet, 16 people are dead and 546 are missing. Combined, the figures show 1,066 fatalities and 4,462 people missing, with 844 of the latter being foreign nationals from 30 countries. Nepal's government is focusing on rescuing 639 workers trapped in hydroelectric tunnel projects. Search teams have been drilling through tunnels using bulldozers and explosives, as reported by AFP.

Siwar Katal, Nepal's foreign minister, told the outlet "We are not giving up hope that some among the thousands of missing individuals will still be alive." China's state-run Xinhua news agency also reported that over 2,000 military personnel are participating in rescue operations in Tibet. The news agency stated that the rescue teams are working "around the clock for survivor search, road reconstruction, installation of communication towers, and power line restoration."

However, the process is slow due to the large amount of mud clogging the tunnels. Nepal's army informed that once the muddy water begins pouring through the tunnel openings, a new entry point will need to be created for the rescue teams. A mountain guide named Asish Gurung, speaking to Reuters, said that "direct entry into the tunnel is impossible, based on the preliminary assessment of the Trisuli hydroelectric plant rescue situation."

Nepal's government also deployed a joint rapid response team from South Korea to aid in the tunnel rescue efforts. The team had been searching the Appertirlisi-1 hydroelectric plant and other locations, but have not yet found any survivors. Local areas are also struggling with mud and debris. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimated that at least 2.2 million tons of rubble from collapsed buildings, rocks, and mud have been accumulated.

AFP reported that locals are sifting through the mud looking for useful items or setting up temporary shelters using waterproof tarps. Due to the overwhelming volume of searches, Nepal's Nepalgunj port has become inundated, leading the authorities to begin using DNA testing to identify the unidentified remains of hundreds of missing individuals.