South Korea Deploys Disaster Relief Team to Nepal Following Devastating Floods

South Korea has dispatched the Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) to Nepal to assist in search and rescue operations following massive floods and landslides. The 44 member team, which includes personnel from the foreign ministry, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and fire authorities, departed aboard a KC-330 Cygnus multirole tanker transport aircraft. The team arrived with five search and rescue dogs and 700 pieces of equipment, including high resolution drones and thermal imaging detectors. The deployment is scheduled to last approximately 10 days, though officials stated it may be extended if necessary.

The mission focuses on supporting the Nepali government in the Rasuwa district, where nine South Koreans remain missing. These individuals, consisting of six employees from Doosan Enerbility and three from Korea South-East Power Co. were working at the Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower plant construction site when the floods struck. A separate rapid response team had been on the ground since last week, conducting aerial and ground searches with the Nepali military. While one body was recovered from a tunnel at the plant, the identity and nationality of the victim have not yet been confirmed.

The floods and mudslides hit Nepal's north-central Himalayan region near the Tibet border. Reports on the total casualties vary across sources, with one report citing more than 800 dead and 3,000 missing, while another reports over 1,000 dead and nearly 4,500 missing. South Korean authorities are currently coordinating with the Nepali military and using mobile phone location tracking to find the missing citizens.