At least 14 dead in South Korea after heavy rains trigger landslide, floods

Above mean rainfall recorded successful past 5 days successful Sancheong county, wherever astir deaths took place.

The nationwide decease toll from dense rainfall successful South Korea has risen to 14, authorities said, arsenic fears turn of much deaths, with 12 much radical missing since the catastrophe began.

Two radical died and 4 went missing successful the edifice municipality of Gapyeong connected Sunday aft a landslide engulfed houses and flooding swept distant vehicles, the AFP quality bureau reported, citing authorities officials.

A pistillate successful her 70s was killed erstwhile her location collapsed successful the landslide, portion the assemblage of a antheral successful his 40s was recovered adjacent a span aft helium drowned, South Korea’s authoritative quality bureau Yonhap reported.

Cars damaged by floods seen connected a roadworthy on a stream successful Gapyeong province, South Korea [Yonhap/AFP]

Close to 170mm (6.7 inches) of rainfall was recorded successful the area successful Gyeonggi province, astir 70km (40 miles) eastbound of Seoul, aboriginal connected Sunday.

But astir of the deaths occurred successful the confederate region of Sancheong, which has seen astir 800mm (31.5 inches) of rainfall since Wednesday.

Two bodies were recovered determination aboriginal connected Sunday during hunt and rescue operations, raising the fig of deaths successful the agrarian region of 33,000 to eight, with six inactive missing.

The adjacent region of Hapcheon received 699mm (27.5 inches) of rain, portion the adjacent region of Hadong got 621.5mm (24.5 inches).

Two of the 12 radical reported missing were from the southwestern metropolis of Gwangju, Yonhap said.

Yonhap besides quoted authorities arsenic saying they person registered 1,920 cases of flooded roads, ungraded nonaccomplishment and destroyed nationalist facilities, and 2,234 different cases of harm to backstage property, specified arsenic buildings and farmland.

A full of 12,921 radical person taken structure crossed 14 large cities and provinces, Yonhap said.

South Korea typically experiences monsoon rains successful July and is usually well-prepared. But this week, the country’s confederate regions were deed by particularly aggravated downpours, with immoderate of the heaviest hourly rainfall connected record, authoritative upwind information showed.

Scientists accidental clime alteration has made utmost upwind events much predominant and aggravated astir the world. In 2022, South Korea endured record-breaking rains and flooding, which killed astatine slightest 11 people.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies