At least 22 people have died and 14 are missing after torrential rains battered several regions in South Korea, authorities said on Saturday in the country, where a dam overflow warning forced thousands of residents to evacuate their homes.
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In three days, heavy rains in the middle of the monsoon flooded many regions.
The 22 people killed and 14 missing were mostly swallowed up by landslides or fell into a flooded water reservoir, according to the Interior Ministry.
Most of the victims – including 16 dead and nine missing – were in North Gyeongsang province, where massive landslides in mountainous areas buried inhabited homes.
Several of the missing people were swept away in the flooding of a river in that region, according to the ministry.
The South Korean news agency Yonhap had previously reported 24 deaths, citing local official aid organizations.
In the worst-hit areas, “houses have been completely swept away,” said a rescue worker in Yonhap.
According to the Interior Ministry, more than 6,400 residents of central Goesan county were ordered to evacuate early Saturday as the Goesan Dam began to overflow due to heavy rains, flooding nearby lower-lying villages.
AFP
Rescuers worked hard to reach 19 cars trapped in an underground tunnel in Cheongju in central North Chungcheong province, where the body of one person was found, Yonyap said.
Floods hit the area so quickly that the population could not be evacuated in time. The water level remains high and it’s still impossible to know exactly how many people are trapped in their vehicles, Yonhap said.
According to the news agency, the death toll is expected to continue rising as authorities continue to take stock of the damage across the country.
According to the national railway company, the torrential rains across the country have caused all regular trains to be halted. The KTX high-speed trains will remain in operation with possible timetable adjustments.
Roads and lanes in national parks have been closed due to rain and flooding.
The agency in charge of weather forecasting in South Korea has issued precautionary measures as more rain is expected through Wednesday. Weather conditions still pose a “serious” threat, they say.
South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has asked the South Korean Defense Ministry for help with the relief effort.