Kathmandu/Seoul, Aug 29 (IANS) South Korean rescue officials dispatched to Nepal boarded two chartered helicopters Saturday to search for nine nationals missing from the catastrophic flash floods, Seoul's foreign ministry said.
The helicopters, each carrying four from the government rapid response team, took off from Kathmandu and headed to the flood site where the nine missing may be located, the ministry said.
Six employees of Doosan Enerbility Co. and three of Korea South-East Power Co. remain missing for a fourth day following the massive floods in Nepal's north-central Himalayan border area. They were working at a hydroelectric power plant construction site in the Rasuwa district when the floods struck the region on Wednesday.
Ten other Doosan workers who had been isolated at a different location have been moved to safety, Yonhap News Agency reported.
The government response team had been struggling to reach the flood sites as Nepali authorities are restricting foreign access to the area for search and rescue operations, citing unpredictable weather and risks of further flooding.
Separate search teams from Korea South-East Power and Doosan obtained clearance from local authorities earlier and were preparing to carry out their own searches Saturday, according to company officials. Doosan said it was ready to deploy drones to the sites if needed.
An additional team of nine government officials from Seoul, including firefighters, departed for Kathmandu on Saturday to join the 11-member response team in Nepal.
Korea South-East Power conducted a brief helicopter search Friday after receiving late clearance from local authorities just before sunset, but it failed to locate the missing people.
"We believe they could be at the base camp, as safety protocols direct evacuees to higher ground. If we get to fly the helicopter, we will thoroughly search that area," the official said.
The government and corporate rescue teams have rented six choppers to search for the missing as the floods have destroyed roads and bridges.
Seoul has offered to deploy a Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT), a statutory emergency response unit, and is currently in talks with Nepali authorities on the matter, Seoul's foreign ministry said.
"We are fully preparing to dispatch a KDRT at any time once the Nepali side accepts our proposal," a ministry official said.
Through the KDRT, Seoul can send personnel and supplies for search and rescue, medical and other relief missions, but only at the request of the host country.
Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said Friday the country needs special technical help to restore transportation and communication lines but not in search and rescue operations, according to a Reuters report.
"We understand that Nepal is prioritising military and police-led search and rescue operations due to the region's unique terrain and weather conditions, and will request foreign assistance when the need arises," the Seoul official said.
–IANS
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