Death toll mounts to 32 as South Korea devastated by heavy rains
Seoul, Jul 16 (EFE).- Floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains that have lashed South Korea over the past few days have killed 32 people, with the figure expected to rise further as over a dozen vehicles remained stuck in a flooded tunnel.
The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters said on Sunday that around a dozen people remain missing, while nearly 6,000 have been kept in evacuation shelters in different spots of the country.
The North Gyeongsang province in the country’s southeast was the worst-affected, as 17 people were killed there due to landslides, while nine remain missing.
In the city of Cheongju, around 100 kilometers south of Seoul, water from an overflowing river on Saturday suddenly flooded a tunnel, trapping around 15 vehicles inside.
Firefighters said on Sunday that six more bodies had been found inside a bus stuck in the passage, after the first victim was found on Sunday in the 685 meters-long underground tunnel.
The number of deaths could rise further as many people are believed to be inside vehicles that are trapped inside.
Rains have cut off 211 roads across South Korea, while a majority of inter-city and long distance train services remain suspended, except a few high-speed trains.
A high alert for rain remains in place for central and southern parts of the country, with this weather expected to continue until Jul. 19, even as the highest level landslide alert has been sounded for the entire country. EFE
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