Nepal flood death toll crosses 1,000, rescuers reach remote areas

A Korean disaster relief team has departed for Nepal to aid in search and rescue operations following catastrophic floods, as announced by the foreign ministry on Wednesday. The Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT), comprising 44 personnel from the foreign ministry, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), fire authorities, and other agencies, embarked on its mission aboard a KC-330 Cygnus multirole tanker transport aircraft just before midnight on Tuesday.

Scheduled to arrive in Nepal at 5:55 a.m. local time on Wednesday, the team carries 700 pieces of equipment and five search-and-rescue dogs. Their mission will last approximately 10 days, during which they will focus on search and rescue operations, with a particular emphasis on locating nine Koreans who remain unaccounted for. The KDRT aims to collaborate with the Nepali government and work in tandem with their existing rapid response team already present in the country.

According to a ministry official, the deployment could be prolonged beyond the initial 10-day period if required. The KDRT, a statutory emergency response unit, is tasked with providing disaster relief, conducting search and rescue operations, and delivering medical aid.