▲ Nepal Flood Damage
The death and missing toll from massive floods that struck the Himalayan mountainous region along the Nepal-China border late last month has surpassed 7,000.
According to agencies such as Nepal Press and the EFE news agency on the 15th, Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) stated that 1,395 people have been confirmed dead due to the severe floods that struck areas including Bagmati Province in the north-central region on August 26.
Adding 43 deaths from debris flow incidents linked to these floods in China's Tibet Autonomous Region near the Nepali border on the same day, the total death toll for both countries stands at 1,438.
The number of missing persons rose to 5,649, combining 5,130 in Nepal and 519 in Tibet.
The combined total of dead and missing persons in both countries is 7,087.
Nine South Koreans, including six employees of Doosan Enerbility and three employees of Korea South-East Power (KOEN) who were constructing the Upper Trishuli-1 (UT-1) hydroelectric power plant in Nepal, remain missing.
The Nepalese government explained that out of the 1,395 bodies recovered so far, only 104 (7.4%) have been identified.
This is because many bodies were severely damaged while being swept away by rapid currents or were found after remaining submerged in water for a long time, making it difficult to verify genetic information (DNA).
Prime Minister Balendra Shah of Nepal met with local government officials the previous day from flood-hit regions such as Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading in Bagmati Province to discuss search operations for the missing and future reconstruction plans.
Previously, the Nepalese government estimated the total damage and losses from the massive floods at 408.29 billion Nepalese rupees (approximately 3.6 trillion won), with reconstruction costs projected at 723.31 billion Nepalese rupees (approximately 6.3 trillion won).
Dharma Raj Upreti, head of the NDRRMA, stated that local governments in the affected areas will pursue creating green zones along riverbanks hit by the floods and relocating residents to safe locations.
Meanwhile, the second batch of the Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) dispatched to Nepal conducted searches utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) with the cooperation of the Nepalese military within safety-secured boundaries to find the nine missing South Koreans.
KDRT Head Yoon Ju-seok and two relief workers landed by helicopter at the UT-1 power plant main camp area, considering limited resources and personnel, and conducted precision drone searches to the extent possible on steep mountain slopes adjacent to the main camp where access is restricted due to steep inclines.
They also stated that accessible areas that can be traveled on foot were searched on land, and some mountain paths presumed to be evacuation routes were also searched within safety-secured limits.
The KDRT plans to conduct drone searches again on September 16 within the scope permitted and supported by the Nepalese military.
Head Yoon also held a meeting with the head of the Nuwakot regional health bureau that day to receive briefings on local recovery and reconstruction situations and support demands.
The second batch of the KDRT is scheduled to conclude its originally planned one-week mission on September 17 and depart for home.
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