Nepal-China Floods Claim 1,130 Lives... Korean Emergency Relief Team Deployed

4,462 Missing... "Chances of Survival Diminishing"

One week after a massive flood struck the Himalayan mountain region along the Nepal-China border, as of September 2 (local time), rescue authorities continued their efforts to locate missing persons presumed to be stranded at various hydropower plants and other sites.

The government joint rapid response team dispatched to search for South Koreans who have lost contact due to the large-scale flood in Nepal is moving on the 2nd (local time) to Upper Trishuli (UT)-1 for a search in Lamche, Rasuwa region, Nepal. Yonhap News Agency

According to several major foreign news outlets, the number of flood-related deaths in Nepal, as tallied by Nepal’s Disaster Management Authority, has risen to at least 1,114. Including the 16 deaths reported by China, the combined death toll now stands at 1,130.

The total number of missing persons amounts to 4,462, with 3,916 in Nepal (including 583 foreigners) and 546 in China (including 261 foreigners).

The Nepal Tourism Board announced that, as electricity and communications have recently been restored in more areas, at least five foreign tourists who had previously been reported missing have informed the authorities of their survival via email or phone.

On this day, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also stated that the number of missing Australians had decreased from 43 to 38, as the safety of five Australians had been confirmed.

Rescue teams, including the Nepalese army, are attempting to access tunnels in several hydropower plants in order to save hundreds of workers believed to be trapped inside.

According to leading foreign media, the Disaster Management Authority stated the previous day that at least 639 people are missing or stranded at several hydropower plants. Many of them are believed to be trapped inside the plant tunnels.

On September 1, rescue teams recovered three bodies from tunnels at the Upper Trishuli (UT)-1 and Chilime power plants.

Vinod Basnet, a retired Nepalese Army general, stated, "Given the nature of the disaster and the affected regions, the likelihood of survival decreases with every passing moment." He led search and rescue operations during the 2015 Nepal earthquake, which resulted in approximately 9,000 fatalities.

In response, Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Shah said the government’s focus would shift from search, rescue, and relief operations to rehabilitation and reconstruction.

He stated on social media the previous night, "While the government is currently focusing on rehabilitation, we are also working to protect the lives of residents in the affected areas and provide necessary medical support and psychological counseling."

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the risk of infectious disease outbreaks has increased in the flood-affected regions, where many displaced people are living in overcrowded conditions. In response, Prime Minister Shah said that surveillance and countermeasures have been strengthened to prevent disease outbreaks in the disaster zones.

Additionally, according to preliminary estimates by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), at least 2.2 million tons of debris—including building rubble, rocks, and mud—have been dumped across the affected areas as a result of this massive flood. Leading foreign media report that this is equivalent to the mass of six Empire State Buildings, presenting a colossal challenge for recovery operations.

Meanwhile, a 44-member Korean Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) dispatched by the South Korean government arrived at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu at approximately 6:27 a.m. via military transport. KDRT plans to cooperate with Nepalese authorities and focus its search and rescue activities on the area where nine South Koreans remain missing.

Previously, the government had sent a 20-member Joint Rapid Response Team to Nepal first. They conducted aerial (helicopter and drone) and land searches in an attempt to locate the nine missing South Koreans but have yet to achieve any significant results. On this day, the rapid response team continued their joint search efforts with the Nepalese army around the UT-1 power plant, where the missing South Koreans were working, using helicopters, drones, and on-foot operations. Fire and rescue personnel from the rapid response team were scheduled to join KDRT for further search and rescue activities starting that day.

Korea South-East Power Co., Ltd. and Doosan Enerbility, the companies overseeing the construction of the UT-1 power plant, have also deployed helicopters, drones, and search dogs to methodically comb the accident site.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.