Days of torrential rain in South Korea leave at least 31 dead in landslides and floods

Rescue workers are scrambling to reach people trapped inside their vehicles in a tunnel submerged by heavy rains in central South Korea.

At least nine people have been rescued so far while the bodies of five people were recovered, firefighting authorities said.

The death toll from the days of torrential rains that pounded the country has now reached 31.

The Ministry of Interior and Safety earlier said 26 people have died and 10 were missing as of 6am, as the heavy rains caused landslides and floods across the country, with evacuation covering 7,540 people.

The ministry said five people died after landslides buried their houses, while two others also died in landslide-related incidents. The report didn't explain the cause of deaths for the additional fatalities.

The casualties from the flooded tunnel were not included in the ministry's data as it was not immediately clear how many people and cars were trapped underwater.

"We are focusing on the search operation as there's likely more people there," Seo Jeong-il, head of the west Cheongju fire station, told reporters.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, now on an overseas trip, ordered Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to mobilise all available resources to minimise the casualties, his office said, as more heavy rain was expected on the Korean peninsula on Sunday.

South Korea has been pounded by heavy rains since July 9.

The ministry report said the rainfall had left 25,470 households without electricity in the past several days.

It said more than 4,200 people remained in temporary shelters as of Saturday night.

Also Saturday, 20 flights were cancelled, and the country's regular train service and some of its bullet trains were suspended, the ministry said. It said nearly 200 roads remained closed.

South Korea's weather agency said some parts of the country will continue to receive heavy rain until Sunday.

Central regions received the largest rainfall, with more than 600 millimetres in the city of Gongju and also in the county of Cheongyang since July 9.

By ABC/wires

Original article link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-16/south-korea-monsoon-rain-leaves-26-dead-in-landslides-and-floods/102607610