[Anchor]

Massive floods and landslides have occurred in the border region between Nepal and China's Tibet. In Nepal alone, at least 31 people have died and nearly 400 are missing, with eight South Koreans out of contact.

Reporter Yu Deok-gi has the details.

[Reporter]

In front of a border checkpoint building between Nepal and China.

People run for their lives.

However, a giant mass of mud swallows the entire building and the surrounding area in an instant.

Buses, buildings, and people alike are swept away by the powerful landslide.

A massive torrent of water rushes down the valley at high speed accompanied by a roaring sound.

People desperately blow whistles, but without a moment to escape, the floodwaters directly strike a hydroelectric power plant construction site, and bridges unable to withstand the fierce current are broken and washed away.

[Nepal Resident: This used to be the main market, located on the way to Kathmandu. There used to be a market here. But now, there is nothing.]

At around 9:00 a.m. local time today (the 26th), a massive flood accompanied by landslides occurred in the Himalayan border region connecting Gyirong County in China's Tibet Autonomous Region and the Rasuwa district in Nepal.

So far, at least 31 people have died in Nepal, and a total of 384 travelers, including 291 foreigners and 93 Nepalis, are missing.

Eight South Koreans working at a local hydroelectric power plant construction site are out of contact, while another 10 South Koreans are stranded locally awaiting rescue.

While search and rescue operations for casualties continue in Nepal and China, widespread damage to roads and power facilities is expected to hamper local rescue efforts.

Nepal's foreign minister reported to the Nepalese parliament on preliminary investigation findings stating that a landslide triggered by an earthquake occurred at 8:37 a.m. local time, leading to flash floods.

A similar flash flood occurred in the affected area in August of last year.

This happened when meltwater from glaciers in adjacent Tibet, driven by global warming, filled lakes and rapidly poured downstream.

At that time, nine people died and infrastructure such as bridges connecting Nepal and China was damaged.

(Video Editing: Kim Byeong-jik)