Nepal declines foreign rescue help, South Korea says it is 'negotiating'

Nepal does not need foreign assistance for search-and-rescue ​operations following the devastating flash flood that swept through several towns, its foreign ‌ministry said on Friday, despite offers of help from several countries with nationals missing in the disaster, Report informs via Reuters.

The flood tore through areas including Rasuwa district near the Chinese border, levelling entire towns, damaging hydropower ​projects and killing close to 500 people. Hundreds of foreign nationals are still ​missing, including from South Korea, which said it has already sent a ⁠response team to Nepal and will also dispatch a disaster relief team.

But Nepal's foreign ​ministry said on Friday that it was managing the rescue efforts.

"The offer for help is ​natural. Our security agencies are doing the search and rescue operation. For now, we don't require such help," Lok Bahadur Chhetri, spokesperson for the foreign ministry, said without providing further details.

South Korea's foreign ministry ​said Nepal had indicated it was not yet planning to accept foreign rescue teams.

"South ​Korea will keep negotiating with Nepal over the matter," the ministry added.

Seoul has pledged $1 million in ‌humanitarian ⁠assistance through international organisations, its foreign minister said on X.

Nine South Koreans working in a hydropower plant were missing, and 10 were stranded, South Korea's foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

The Kathmandu Post noted that India, China, the United States, Britain, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka ​and Bangladesh had asked ​the government to ⁠allow their search-and-rescue teams to assist in the operation.