[Anchor]

Let me repeat that. Currently, eight South Koreans are out of contact, and another ten South Koreans are isolated. We will discuss this further with reporter Han Sung-hee, who covered the story.

Reporter Han, what kind of area is bearing the brunt of the damage?

[Reporter]

The area where the damage is concentrated is Rasuwa, Nepal, a mountainous region in the Himalayas.

It is located north of Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, and shares a border with China's Tibet Autonomous Region to the north.

In particular, Timure in Rasuwa, where the damage is concentrated, is a border checkpoint village located only about 3 to 4 kilometers south of the border checkpoint.

In addition, Syabrubesi is located in a deep canyon about 19 kilometers to the north. Situated right along the Bhote Koshi River, it has a structure that makes it most susceptible to direct flood damage when glacial lake outbursts or torrents pour down from the upper reaches.

The Bhote Koshi River basin in this area is a deep V-shaped canyon terrain with steep cliffs on both sides, and the destructive force is believed to have surged as the torrents concentrated into narrow water channels along the steep canyon terrain.

Based on its steep slopes and abundant water volume, it is Nepal's electricity supply hub where large-scale hydroelectric power plants are concentrated, but due to its terrain, it was also one of the areas that suffered the most severe damage during the 2015 Nepal earthquake.

[Anchor]

It is reported that no rain fell yesterday (the 25th) and today, and the weather was clear, so why did the flood happen so suddenly?

[Reporter]

The background behind the massive damage caused by the flash flood requires investigation.

Several possibilities are being mentioned, with the core possibility being the outburst of a glacial lake, which takes the form of a natural sand dam.

A glacial lake is a lake created by glacial erosion or deposition, formed when melted glacier water is blocked and pooled by sand and other materials.

The Himalayas experience a rainy season from June to September, when temperatures are highest, and it is believed that the rainfall and glacier meltwater driven by high summer temperatures continuously flowed into the upper glacial lakes.

There is also information that the melting speed of glaciers in this area became twice as fast as usual this year.

With the soil retaining a lot of water and weakening the ground, large-scale landslides or ice wall collapses could easily occur.

[Anchor]

Although it is difficult to get an accurate grasp at the moment, what is the scale of human casualties likely to be?

[Reporter]

The number continues to rise as time goes on, and just the currently known count has exceeded 30.

There are also tallies indicating that some 380 travelers are missing.

The total population of the Rasuwa region is around 50,000, and each mountain town is known to have a population of around 2,000.

It is said that in addition to resident locals, there is a constant floating population of hundreds to thousands of outsiders, including trekking tourists.

The president of the Korean Trekking Association residing in Nepal told SBS in a phone call, "Fortunately, as it is currently the off-season for trekking tourism, the number of Korean tourists in the affected area is expected to be lower than at other times."

However, Syabrubesi in this region is counted as a starting point for Nepal's top three trekking courses, along with Everest and Annapurna.

We will likely have to keep an eye on the situation regarding additional casualties, including South Koreans, going forward.

As you saw in the footage, torrents instantly engulfed markets and densely populated residential areas in the border zone, sweeping away numerous riverside buildings and vehicles, making the occurrence of additional casualties highly likely.

Foreign media reports have also emerged that the Nepalese government urgently dispatched military helicopters, but they are experiencing difficulties with landing and entry due to excessively high water levels and rugged terrain conditions.

With roads, electricity, and communications all cut off in the area, search and rescue operations going forward are expected to be far from easy.