8 Koreans missing, 10 stranded in flood in Nepal
Houses lie partially submerged in muddy water along a riverside after flash floods at Trishuli Bazar in Nepal's Nuwakot district on Wednesday. A massive flood swept through Nepal's northern Rasuwa district, damaging roads and power infrastructure as authorities scrambled to assess the scale of the destruction. AFP-Yonhap
By Yonhap
Eight Koreans were unaccounted for and 10 others were stranded following a massive flood in Nepal, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday.
The eight missing Koreans were employees of Korea South-East Power and plant builder Doosan Enerbility, who were working on the construction of a hydropower plant in Nepal's Rasuwa district, the ministry said.
Another 10 Koreans affiliated with Doosan Enerbility were stranded in the area and awaiting rescue, the ministry said.
The Nepalese government has sent a helicopter to evacuate them, according to the ministry.
The Korean Embassy in Nepal notified the Nepalese government after learning that the eight Koreans were unaccounted for and called for an immediate and active search and rescue operation.
After being briefed on the situation, President Lee Jae Myung ordered authorities to "mobilize all available resources" for an urgent search and rescue operation, senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a notice to the press.
The massive flash floods occurred near the Nepal-Tibet border, killing 19 people and leaving hundreds missing while causing widespread damage to villages and infrastructure, according to foreign media reports.
A total of 384 tourists, including 291 foreigners, were reported missing, officials said. Of them, 105 were Indian nationals.