Nepal floods: Search continues for missing South Koreans and South Africans

Severe flooding and mudslides in Nepal have left multiple foreign nationals missing, including nine South Korean employees and six South Africans. The South Koreans, employees of Doosan Enerbility and Korea South-East Power, were working at the Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower station when contact was lost. While ten Doosan Enerbility staff members were eventually moved to safety, nine remain unaccounted for.

In a shift in policy, the Nepalese government has partially accepted international assistance for specialized tasks such as tunnel rescue, DNA testing, and forensic identification. This follows previous refusals to accept foreign rescue teams. The South Korean government has secured six helicopters for search operations, though deployment has faced challenges due to local flight controls and weather conditions.

Separately, six South Africans, including pilgrims traveling to Mount Kailash, remain missing following flash floods near the Nepal-Tibet border. Rescue efforts are complicated by remote terrain and disrupted communication networks. The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued special travel warnings for several Nepalese provinces due to the ongoing risk of further flooding.