Members of a South Korean Disaster Relief Team travel through Ramche in Rasuwa District, Nepal, on Wednesday (local time) to conduct search operations for missing South Koreans near the Upper Trishuli-1 site after massive flooding. (Yonhap)
Members of a South Korean Disaster Relief Team travel through Ramche in Rasuwa District, Nepal, on Wednesday (local time) to conduct search operations for missing South Koreans near the Upper Trishuli-1 site after massive flooding. (Yonhap)

A South Korean Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) deployed to flood-hit Nepal moved to its search base camp in Battar on Wednesday local time, advancing its timeline by a day to expedite rescue operations for missing Koreans.

According to media reports, the 44-member team, led by Lee Kyu-ho -- head of the KDRT and director general for development cooperation at the Foreign Ministry -- arrived in Kathmandu earlier in the day.

Lee noted the unit was originally scheduled to inspect potential base locations on Wednesday before moving out on Thursday. However, after an advance rapid response team and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) confirmed safety, officials immediately authorized the move to Battar.

Battar is located roughly 70 kilometers from the accident site at the Upper Trishuli-1 hydroelectric plant, where nine Korean workers remain missing following catastrophic flooding.

Lee said an initial 10-member team of firefighters was deployed first to reach Ramche, near the missing workers’ camp, via helicopter. Ground units organized by the rapid response team pushed past Ramche toward Dunche near the upper dam site, navigating deep ravines and steep 50-meter drops.

Search personnel are also expanding operations along mountain slopes after receiving reports that some workers may have attempted an escape in that direction.

KDRT -- comprising officials from the Foreign Ministry, KOICA and the National Fire Agency -- was dispatched at the request of the Nepalese government following the Aug. 26 disaster along the Tibet border. Regional casualties have exceeded 1,000 dead and over 4,400 missing. The nine Koreans missing in the flooding include six Doosan Enerbility employees and three from Korea South-East Power Co.


hyejin2@heraldcorp.com