South Korean rescue team arrives in Nepal as search for missing workers continues

A 44-member South Korean Overseas Emergency Rescue Team (KDRT) arrived in Nepal on Wednesday to assist in search and rescue operations following floods that affected several hydropower projects in Rasuwa.

A South Korean Air Force KC-330 Cygnus multipurpose aerial refueling aircraft carrying members of the KDRT landed at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu at 6:27 a.m.

The team is led by Lee Gyu-ho, director-general of the Development Cooperation Bureau at South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It includes three officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, four officials from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and 37 personnel from firefighting and disaster-management agencies.

The team has brought five search-and-rescue dogs and specialized equipment, including drones capable of capturing high-resolution images and video, devices that can detect the voices and images of people trapped under debris, and thermal-imaging detectors.

Nine South Korean nationals are among those reported missing after the floods on August 26.

The South Korean government had earlier sent a 20-member joint rapid-response team to Nepal in two groups on August 27 and 29. The team has been searching for the nine missing South Korean nationals using helicopters, drones and ground teams, but no progress has been reported so far.

Meanwhile, search and rescue operations are continuing at several hydropower projects in Rasuwa. Additional personnel and equipment are being deployed at the sites, while crews are working to clear tunnels, remove debris, drill through blocked sections and establish access routes.

Upper Trishuli-1

Search and rescue operations at the 216-MW Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower project are being intensified on Wednesday with the arrival of the South Korean rescue team.

The project plans to deploy four teams for the search, including the use of drones. Rescue work inside the tunnels had already begun on Tuesday.

Mud and debris have created major obstacles inside parts of the tunnel. Audit-1 has been particularly affected, with debris blocking the tunnel.

The project is among those with a large number of people still unaccounted for. Nine South Korean nationals are among the missing. Six are employees of Doosan Enerbility and three are employees of Korea South-East Power.

According to the project operator, 1,433 people were working at the project when the flood occurred. Of these, 876 have been rescued or have made contact.

The company has reported 15 of its own employees missing, along with 78 employees of EPC contractor Doosan, 94 from Andritz Hydro, seven from consulting companies Lamper and Jeth JV, and 385 workers from civil subcontractor PowerChina.

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The project operator had said that experienced international specialists were needed because of the condition of the tunnel and the difficulty of bringing necessary equipment into the affected area.

Upper Trishuli-3A

At the 60-MW Upper Trishuli-3A project, work is continuing to enter the tunnel and search for people who may be trapped inside.

Drilling and excavation work is being continued, while water accumulated inside the tunnel is being removed. Crews are also clearing debris.

Four excavators were used at the site on Tuesday, while a technical team including experts continued working on the rescue operation.

Seven large and hard rocks at the entrance of the tunnel were removed through blasting. After the blasting, workers began clearing the rocks and leveling the tunnel floor.

According to tunnel expert and lawmaker Shriram Neupane, water that had accumulated at the tunnel entrance was removed overnight before workers attempted to move farther into the tunnel.

Wheel loaders and mini-excavators have been prepared to remove mud and soil from inside the tunnel.

Neupane said that after clearing about 160 meters of tunnel, rescuers could reach the powerhouse. The powerhouse area is currently considered comparatively safe.

Efforts are continuing to enter the tunnel, remove obstructions and reach the powerhouse.

Chilime Hydropower Project

At the 22-MW Chilime Hydropower Project, efforts are continuing to create access to the powerhouse.

Mud and debris are being cleared, while the project promoter is working to establish an access route.

The Nepal Army and an Indian rescue team cleared part of the route to the powerhouse on Tuesday. However, heavy machinery and other equipment have not yet been taken to the tunnel leading to the powerhouse.

The lack of machinery has made it difficult to continue the rescue operation. A group of Sherpa rescuers that had reached the site returned because they were unable to proceed without the necessary equipment.

Rising water levels in the river have also created additional difficulties.

Meanwhile, the project operator is continuing efforts to create access to the powerhouse.

During the operation, the bodies of two people have already been recovered while searching for six people who were trapped following the flood.

According to a news report published on Bhadra 15, a joint search and rescue team, including foreign personnel, has entered approximately 100 meters into the Chilime Hydro tunnel and is searching for the missing individuals.

Nepal Army today released a video showing its rescue efforts inside the approximately 250-meter-long tunnel made difficult because soil and debris have accumulated.

Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project

At the 111-MW Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project, an excavator is being prepared for use in the search and rescue operation.

The company purchased an excavator on Tuesday and is arranging to transport it to Rasuwa.

A Nepal Army-led team inspected the powerhouse on Tuesday, which concluded that no one was inside the powerhouse tunnel.

However, 91 people from the project are still reported to be missing. According to project engineer Tika Poudel, 93 people associated with the Rasuwagadhi Hydropower remain missing following the disaster. The missing include project chief Santosh Adhikari, 51 employees and 42 workers.

Poudel said most of the missing staff and their family members may have been staying at the project’s residential quarters in Timure when the flood struck suddenly before office hours. At the time, only three employees were reportedly inside the Rasuwagadhi Hydropower tunnel.

The project operator said the search has been difficult because of limited access and the lack of equipment.

Langtang Khola

At the 20-MW Langtang Khola Hydropower Project, 13 technical and expert personnel are being deployed from Wednesday to assist with the search and rescue operation.

The team will remain at the project site and work alongside 15 Nepal Army personnel and around eight members of the company’s technical team.

The company is also arranging to transport necessary equipment to the project site, including by air.

Efforts are being made to cut through the penstock pipe and reach the affected section. The work is expected to reach about 150 meters by Wednesday evening, although it could continue into Thursday.

Seven people are believed to be trapped inside the penstock after entering it to carry out concrete work.

Nineteen people have already been rescued, while 41 people associated with the project are reported to be missing.

Trishuli-3B

Search and rescue operations are also continuing at the 37-MW Trishuli-3B hydropower project.

Twenty-three people who had been trapped inside the tunnel managed to come out on their own. Five bodies have so far been recovered.

The construction company initially reported 110 people missing. After updating its records based on people who later made contact, the project promoter said 141 people remained unaccounted for.

Those reported missing include 21 company employees, seven family members of employees, 12 consultants, one security guard, six Chinese nationals and three students from Kathmandu University.

Search operations at the project are continuing.

Search Operations Continue

Across the affected hydropower projects, mud, water and debris remain the main obstacles to search and rescue operations.

Until Tuesday, rescue teams at several sites had difficulty reaching tunnels and powerhouses. In some locations, rescue personnel were able to reach the project areas but could not take the required heavy equipment with them.

On Wednesday, additional personnel and equipment are being deployed to speed up the search.

The South Korean rescue team has arrived at Upper Trishuli-1 with search-and-rescue dogs, drones and other specialised equipment. Technical experts are being deployed at Langtang Khola, an excavator is being taken to Rasuwagadhi, and tunnel-clearing and drilling work is continuing at Upper Trishuli-3A.

Search teams at Chilime are working to improve access to the powerhouse, while operations continue at Trishuli-3B.

The search for people who remain unaccounted for is continuing across the affected hydropower projects.