Kathmandu [Nepal], September 2 – South Korea has sent a 44-member disaster relief team to Nepal to search for nine South Korean nationals who went missing after the devastating flood.
The Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) arrived in Kathmandu on Wednesday morning aboard an Air Force KC-330 Cygnus aircraft, South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The team comprises officials from the ministry, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and fire authorities.
The team will coordinate with Nepali authorities and the South Korean government’s emergency response team already deployed in Nepal to conduct search and rescue operations. Its initial deployment is planned for about 10 days with the possibility of an extension depending on conditions at the site.
The team has brought five rescue dogs and advanced search equipment, including high-capacity drones, devices capable of detecting voices and video from people trapped inside debris and thermal imaging equipment.
Nine South Korean nationals went missing from the construction site of the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project following the floods. Six of them are employees of Doosan Enerbility while three work for Korea South-East Power.
Nepali and South Korean rescue teams had already been using helicopters, drones and rescue dogs to search for the missing nationals.
However the large search area, difficult terrain, debris and thick mud have continued to hamper rescue efforts, making the latest deployment an important reinforcement to the ongoing operation.
