Seoul, South Korea – At least 17 people have died and 11 others remain missing after five days of relentless downpours triggered widespread flooding, landslides, and infrastructure collapses across South Korea, officials said on Sunday.
The country’s Interior and Safety Ministry reported that one person died Sunday when their home collapsed due to the rain, while another was swept away by a swollen stream in Gapyeong, northeast of Seoul. In Sancheong, a southern town hit hard over the weekend, 10 people were confirmed dead and four more remain missing after landslides and flash floods overwhelmed the area.
Additional fatalities include one person in Gwangju, where seven people remain unaccounted for, as well as earlier casualties last week in Osan, South Chungcheong Province, and other parts of the country.
In total, the victims include:
- 1 fatality in Gapyeong
- 1 in Gwangju
- 10 in Sancheong
- 1 in Osan, where a car was buried under a collapsed overpass
- 3 in South Chungcheong Province, found in a submerged car, a stream, and a flooded basement
As of 4 p.m. Sunday, more than 2,730 residents had been evacuated, and local media reported nearly 10,000 total evacuations since the rains began on Wednesday. Over 41,000 households experienced temporary power outages during the storm.
Some areas in the south received an estimated 600 to 800 millimeters (24 to 31 inches) of rain, one of the heaviest rainfall events in recent years.
President Lee Jae-myung expressed condolences to the victims’ families and pledged swift recovery efforts. On Sunday, he ordered that the worst-hit regions be designated as special disaster zones, a move that will unlock additional financial aid and support services for recovery.
“The government will mobilize all available resources to support affected communities,” said Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung, urging local authorities to act swiftly in relief and repair operations.
Although the rain subsided in much of the country by Sunday afternoon, weather officials warned that heavy rain may return to the capital Seoul and northern regions, prompting continued alerts and preparedness measures.
This disaster adds to the growing concerns over climate-linked extreme weather patterns, with South Korea witnessing a rise in sudden, high-intensity rainfall events in recent years.
SOURCE : AGENCIES VIA EPA | Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |
