Cliff Notes – torrential rain causes landslides and flooding in South Korea
- Torrential rain over five days in South Korea has resulted in at least 14 fatalities and 12 missing persons, primarily due to landslides and flooding in areas like Gapyeong and Sancheong.
- Southern regions experienced unprecedented rainfall, with totals reaching 600-800mm, leading to significant property damage, including house collapses and flash floods.
- Approximately 3,840 residents have been evacuated from their homes; although alerts have been lifted, the threat from ongoing weather patterns remains a concern.
Fourteen people die in South Korea after torrential rain causes landslides and flooding
Five days of torrential rain in South Korea has left at least 14 people dead and 12 more missing.
A landside engulfed houses and flooding swept away vehicles in the resort town of Gapyeong, northeast of capital Seoul, on Sunday.
One person was killed after their house collapsed and another was found dead after being swept away by a swollen stream, while six people remain missing in the town and the southern city of Gwangju.
The Interior and Safety Ministry said eight people were killed and six others reported missing in the southern town of Sancheong on Saturday after heavy downpours caused landslides, house collapses and flash floods.
Earlier in the week, three people were found dead in a submerged car, and a person was also killed when their car was buried by soil and concrete after a retaining wall of an overpass collapsed in Osan, just south of Seoul.
Southern regions have been hit by up to about 600-800mm (24-31 inches) of rain since the downpours began n Wednesday.
About 3,840 people remained evacuated from their homes by Sunday morning.
The heavy rainfall moved north overnight and alerts have been lifted throughout South Korea, ministry officials said.