Korea deploys 44-member relief team to flood-hit Nepal

The government will dispatch its Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) to Nepal on Tuesday to assist local authorities with general search and rescue efforts in areas affected by severe flooding, as well as the search for the nine missing Korean nationals, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The 44-person team is scheduled to depart aboard a Korean military transport aircraft on Tuesday afternoon.

A public-private joint council for overseas emergency relief approved the decision earlier in the day, according to the ministry.

The KDRT is an emergency response team comprising personnel from government ministries and related agencies. The government deploys the team to countries struck by major disasters to assist local authorities with search and rescue operations and provide disaster relief and medical support.

The deployment comes after the Nepali government requested Korea to send an emergency relief team, as the extent of damage in Rasuwa District continues to grow. The floods that struck the Himalayan region last Wednesday have left hundreds dead and thousands missing.

Lee Kyoo-ho, the director-general for development cooperation at the Foreign Ministry, will lead the team, which will include personnel from the ministry, the Korea International Cooperation Agency and the National Fire Agency.

The team plans to remain in Nepal for about 10 days.

“The government will continue to communicate with the Nepali government and explore ways to provide the assistance needed on the ground,” the Korean Foreign Ministry said.

BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]