South Korea grapples with severe flooding and landslides as a result of consecutive days of heavy rainfall, resulting in 17 confirmed fatalities and numerous individuals missing. Emergency rescue operations are underway, with local authorities mobilizing resources to address the widespread devastation across southern and central regions.
Devastating Deluge: South Korea Faces Catastrophic Floods with Rising Casualties
Devastating Deluge: South Korea Faces Catastrophic Floods with Rising Casualties
Torrential rains strike southeastern South Korea, leading to floods and landslides that have claimed at least 17 lives, leaving thousands displaced and infrastructure in ruins.
At least 17 people have lost their lives in South Korea due to devastating floods and landslides triggered by persistent heavy rainfall, according to the nation’s disaster management office. Rescue operations are ongoing, with authorities reporting 11 individuals are still missing, raising concerns that the death toll may increase.
Footage from the resort town of Gapyeong highlighted the struggles of residents as they navigated through thick mud, seeking evacuation shelters over a damaged bridge. In the central Chungcheong region, an entire village was buried under earth and debris following a landslide, with videos capturing the extent of the disaster.
The southern part of the country has been particularly hard-hit, with six fatalities and seven individuals reported missing in Sancheong. The torrential rains have caused immense damage, leading to the destruction of roads and buildings, significant agricultural loss, and a tragic consequence of livestock deaths across the region.
As heavy rains subsided in the severely affected southern and central areas, approximately 10,000 individuals had to evacuate their homes since the onset of the downpour, which began earlier in the week. Reports indicate that more than 41,000 households experienced temporary power outages due to flooding.
While the worst-hit areas have been declared special disaster zones by President Lee Jae-myung, emergency services continue to mobilize resources as heavy rainfall moves northward, with more precipitation expected later on. A landslide in Gapyeong County claimed two additional lives, engulfing several homes in mud. Though forecasts predict an end to the rain by late Sunday, residents will soon face a looming heatwave.
Communities in Gwangju are also engaged in cleanup efforts as they begin to recover from the compounded devastation of nature’s fury.
