9 South Koreans Missing in Nepal's Massive Flood... "Disaster Caused by Glacier Collapse"

The death toll from massive floods in the Himalayan mountainous region of north-central Nepal, bordering China, has risen to at least 160.

Further analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) revealed that the earthquake initially suspected as the cause of the disaster was actually a quake-like phenomenon triggered by a glacier collapse.

According to AP and AFP wire services on the 26th (local time), Nepalese police announced that they recovered 157 bodies during search operations that day.

Earlier, China's state-run CCTV also reported that three people died in the Tibet region near the border, bringing the current confirmed death toll to 160.

Nepal's Ministry of Tourism stated that 403 tourists are currently missing, 341 of whom are foreigners, and added that 28 police officers have also lost contact.

The Chinese side has also reported 265 missing persons.

Nine South Koreans affiliated with Korea South-East Power and Doosan Enerbility, who lost contact near a local hydropower plant construction site, are also among the missing.

The South Korean government plans to dispatch a joint rapid response team consisting of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Fire Agency, and the Korean National Police Agency to the site.

The floods and landslides swept away entire villages into mud, and at least 19 bridges were washed away.

Following further analysis, the U.S. Geological Survey corrected a magnitude 4.4 earthquake, initially pointed to as the cause of the landslide and flood, to a magnitude 5.2 glacier collapse event.

The USGS stated, "A magnitude 5.2 seismic wave event occurred near the Nepal-China border," adding, "We determined that this event was caused by a glacier collapse and debris flow, which led to a cascading catastrophic impact downstream."g

It explained that while the event was initially reported as a magnitude 4.4 earthquake, additional analysis of nearby seismic stations, long-period seismic waves, and satellite imagery led to the conclusion that an earthquake had not actually occurred.

Climate experts from the Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) also explained that a massive avalanche from glaciers in the warming Himalayan region likely blocked a river, which then burst and sent torrents rushing down.

Changchong, head of climate and environmental risks at ICIMOD, warned, "Blockages still remain in the upper reaches of the river on the Nepal-China border, which could trigger a second flood."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.