South Korea faces a tragic aftermath of continuous heavy rains, with multiple deaths and a significant number of missing persons as rescue operations continue.
Devastating Floods and Landslides Claim Lives in South Korea
Devastating Floods and Landslides Claim Lives in South Korea
At least 17 fatalities reported due to severe weather, with emergency response still underway.
At least 17 individuals have lost their lives in the wake of severe floods and landslides triggered by relentless torrential rain in South Korea, according to the country's disaster management authorities. Concerns are growing regarding the potential increase in the death toll as rescue operations are still ongoing, with about 11 people unaccounted for.
Footage from the resort town of Gapyeong showed residents navigating through deep mud as they crossed a damaged bridge heading towards evacuation centers. In a more alarming incident, an entire village in the central Chungcheong region was buried beneath landslide debris, as captured in video footage released on Saturday.
The southern regions of the country have experienced the most destruction, with reports indicating six fatalities and seven missing individuals in the town of Sancheong alone. Essential infrastructure has faced significant damage, with countless roads and buildings submerged under floodwaters, resulting in the loss of agricultural land and livestock.
Close to 10,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes since the onset of the downpour on Wednesday, with more than 41,000 households temporarily losing electricity, as reported by local media. Though rainfall has lessened in the hardest-hit southern and central areas, forecasters predict heavy precipitation to move northward, potentially impacting the capital, Seoul, and northern regions on Sunday.
In response to the severity of the situation, President Lee Jae-myung has declared the most affected areas as special disaster zones while initiating a coordinated recovery effort across various agencies. Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung has urged local authorities to utilize all available resources in a prompt response to the disaster.
Additionally, a landslide in the northern Gapyeong County resulted in two fatalities, with several homes engulfed by mud, as reported by government sources. Although current rainfall is expected to subside by late Sunday, weather forecasts warn of an intense heatwave to follow, compounding the challenges for recovery teams on the ground.
