[Anchor]
Massive landslides and floods have occurred in the border region between China's Tibet Autonomous Region and Nepal. Currently, 8 South Korean nationals are out of contact, while another 10 are stranded and awaiting rescue.
First, Beijing correspondent Choi Go-un reports on the situation.
[Reporter]
Muddy water as massive as houses sweeps rapidly down the valley with a roaring sound.
People desperately blow whistles, but without a moment to escape, the floodwaters engulf a hydroelectric power plant construction site, and a bridge connecting villages washes away, unable to withstand the fierce currents.
[Nepal Resident: This was the main market, located on the way to Kathmandu. There used to be a market here. But now, there is nothing left.]
This morning (August 26), massive floods and landslides struck the Himalayan border area connecting Jilong County in China's Tibet Autonomous Region and Rasuwa District in Nepal.
Nepali police reported that as several villages were instantly swept away by water, 8 people have been confirmed dead so far.
Rescue operations are currently underway, but with the affected area being extensive, casualties are expected to rise further.
President Xi Jinping has instructed that all available means be mobilized to search for and rescue the missing and evacuate residents in danger.
Zhang Guoqing, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, headed to the site along with heads of relevant departments to direct rescue and recovery operations.
However, rescue operations are expected to face difficulties as roads leading to the affected villages are destroyed in various places, and power supplies have been cut off in multiple areas due to damage to hydroelectric and solar power generation facilities.
The cause of this flash flood has not yet been identified.
However, in the case of floods that occurred in the same river in July of last year and caused dozens of casualties, the cause was found to be the overflowing of a glacial lake.
Meltwater from glaciers, filled by global warming, poured down downstream in an instant.
Climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events.
(Video Editing: Kim Byung-jik, Design: Seo Seung-hyun)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.