Eight Koreans Unreachable, 10 Stranded in Nepal Floods

[Financial News] Hundreds of people, including eight South Koreans, have gone missing after a massive flood hit Nepal's north-central Himalayan region. Another 10 South Koreans are stranded at the scene and waiting to be rescued.
According to Reuters, AP and other outlets on the 26th local time, a large-scale flood struck parts of Rasuwa District in Bagmati Province, Nepal, on the morning of that day.
So far, 19 people have been confirmed dead, and 384 travelers are missing, including 291 foreigners and 93 Nepalis. Among the missing foreigners are 105 Indians.
The damage to South Koreans has also been confirmed. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, contact has been lost with eight South Korean employees from Korea South-East Power and Doosan Enerbility who were taking part in a hydropower plant construction project in Rasuwa District. In addition, 10 South Koreans from Doosan Enerbility remain stranded locally and are waiting for rescue.
The Nepalese government has deployed helicopters to the disaster site and asked India and China to assist with rescue operations.
The affected area is a Himalayan mountain region near the border with China's Tibet Autonomous Region, about 120 kilometers north of Kathmandu. As the Bhotekoshi River overflowed on the day, nearby villages, roads and hydropower facilities suffered heavy damage.
Authorities are investigating the exact cause of the disaster, but one possibility is that an avalanche in a glacier area blocked the river with ice and rocks before a sudden surge of water triggered a flash flood.
Experts from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), based in Kathmandu, said the Rende Kola River, a tributary of the Bhotekoshi River, reached its highest water level and suggested the flood may be linked to changes in glacier regions. A similar flash flood hit the area in August last year, killing nine people and damaging key infrastructure.
Experts say climate change is rapidly melting Himalayan glaciers, increasing the risk of such disasters. The Himalayas are considered a major water source for about 2 billion people in Asia, but studies show that glacier loss has accelerated further in the 21st century.
Local police warned that the number of dead and missing could rise further as rescue efforts continue.
[email protected] Jung Sang-hee Reporter