Police in Nepal survey a search and rescue operation on Aug. 27, 2026, following catastrophic flooding and landslides. (AP/Yonhap)
Nepalese authorities were searching Thursday for nine South Koreans who remain missing after a landslide and flash flooding in Nepal, with their whereabouts still unknown as of 10 pm local time.Ten Koreans who had been stranded following the flooding were evacuated to safety by Nepalese military helicopters earlier in the day. One of the 10, a site manager, chose to remain behind, saying he would leave after all the Nepalese employees had been rescued.According to Korea’s Foreign Ministry, a flash flood triggered a landslide on Wednesday morning in the Rasuwa District of north-central Nepal. An office and accommodation facilities used mainly by Korean workers near the river were destroyed, leaving nine people unaccounted for.The missing workers are employees of Korea South-East Power and Doosan Enerbility, which are involved in the construction of a local hydropower project.A Foreign Ministry official said authorities had received reports that the power plant and dam under construction were “completely swept away,” as were the buildings where the employees were staying.It has not yet been confirmed, however, whether all nine workers were actually inside the buildings when the flooding occurred or whether they were elsewhere.The area remains dangerous, and only Nepalese military and police personnel have been allowed to enter to conduct searches. The rugged mountainous terrain also makes nighttime search operations impossible.The 10 South Koreans who had been stranded were staying at a powerhouse farther from the river, along with about 200 Nepalese employees. Because the facility was located at a higher elevation, it was not directly affected by the flooding, but the workers became stranded after roads in the area were washed away.The Foreign Ministry said the group was evacuated in four separate helicopter trips, together with Nepalese employees, by 5 pm Korean time on Thursday. They were scheduled to travel to Kathmandu on Friday.The site manager remained behind, saying he would stay until the Nepalese employees had all been rescued. About 15 Nepalese workers and Korean Embassy personnel, including a consul and an administrative staff member, are still at the site.The Foreign Ministry said it was working to arrange another helicopter to evacuate those remaining. With helicopter flights difficult after sunset, the timing of the remaining personnel’s evacuation remains uncertain.Korea’s government is also assessing whether any other Korean tourists may be in the affected area. As of 2:30 pm local time on Thursday, no Koreans were listed among the foreign nationals reported missing by the Nepal Tourism Board.An 11-member government rapid response team that departed Incheon International Airport on Thursday and arrived in Kathmandu will meet with Nepalese government officials on Friday before traveling to the flood-hit areas.Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told reporters Thursday that the government could deploy additional rescue personnel after the rapid response team assesses the situation and consults with Nepalese authorities. “If we send another team, it would likely number several dozen people,” Cho said.Cho also spoke by phone with Nepalese Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, asking for cooperation in the swift rescue of Korean nationals. Korea has pledged US$1 million in humanitarian aid to support relief efforts.By Park Min-hee, senior staff writer; Seo Young-ji, staff reporterPlease direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]
