Latest news with #Sancheong
Emirates 24/7
2 hours ago
- Climate
- Emirates 24/7
Korea's death toll rises to 19 after heavy rains, landslides
Another person has been confirmed dead after last week's heavy rains and landslides, bringing the total death toll to 19, the government said Tuesday. Nine others also remain missing, raising the total number of those dead or unaccounted for from the heavy rainfall between Wednesday and Sunday to 28, according to tentative data from the interior ministry. The casualties include 10 dead in the southern county of Sancheong, three in the northern county of Gapyeong and two in the western city of Seosan, according to the ministry. Four of the missing were reported in Sancheong, while another four were reported in Gapyeong. Authorities have sped up recovery efforts, with about 2,976 of the 6,752 buildings and facilities reported damaged having undergone emergency restoration work. More than 14,000 people have taken shelter since the heavy rains started, with 2,549 people yet to return to their homes. Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Death toll from South Korea rains rises to 16
Heavy rainfall for five consecutive days has left at least 16 people dead across South Korea and another 10 missing. Two people died and as many went missing in the resort town of Gapyeong on Sunday after a landslide engulfed houses and flooding swept away vehicles. The interior ministry said eight people were discovered dead and six were reported missing in the southern town of Sancheong on Saturday after heavy rainfall caused flash floods and landslides. The overall death toll stood at 16 as of 4pm local time on Sunday, The Korea Herald reported, citing fire authorities. Damaged vehicles are seen after heavy rainfall in Gapyeong, South Korea, on 20 July 2025 (AP) President Lee Jae Myung ordered the worst-hit areas, mostly in the south of the country, to be declared special disaster zones, which would entitle them to government support for damage recovery and relief. Interior minister Yoon Ho Jung asked local authorities to 'mobilise all available resources' to carry out 'swift emergency restoration work' after the government launched a multi-agency recovery effort. Mr Yoon announced that a prompt damage assessment would be launched to develop restoration plans for damaged facilities, including homes, commercial buildings and roads. 'The ministry and local governments need to ensure that the displaced residents staying in temporary shelters do not face any inconvenience by providing a sufficient amount of relief supplies and making their utmost effort in emergency restoration to help evacuees return to their normal lives as quickly as possible,' he said. Houses collapsed from a landslide are seen in Sancheong, South Korea, on 19 July 2025 (AP) Last week, three people were found dead in a submerged car and another person was killed when their car was buried by soil and concrete after a retaining wall of an overpass collapsed in Osan, just south of Seoul. The saturated soil had increased the risk of landslides even in areas receiving relatively modest rainfall. The downpours swept through South Chungcheong, South Jeolla and South Gyeongsang regions this past week, with rainfall exceeding 500mm breaking daily rainfall records in July and forcing the evacuation of at least 3,840 people from their homes, the interior ministry said. The rain stopped in most of South Korea on Sunday and heavy rain alerts were subsequently lifted, the ministry added. This period of heavy rainfall was expected to be followed by a heat wave, the country's official weather forecaster said.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
South Korea flood death toll rises to 18 as southern regions battered by record rain
At least 18 people have died and nine remain missing after days of torrential rain triggered flash floods and landslides across South Korea, displacing thousands and destroying homes and farmland. The downpours began last week and intensified over the weekend, with some areas seeing record-breaking hourly rainfall. More than 14,000 people have been evacuated, and damage has been reported in 15 cities and provinces, including extensive losses to homes, public infrastructure and livestock. The southern county of Sancheong was worst-hit, where 10 people were killed and four others remain missing, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said on Monday. Since Wednesday, southern regions have received 24-31 inches of rain, according to the ministry report. Further north in Gapyeong, northeast of Seoul, one man died after being swept away while camping near a stream. His wife and teenage son are still unaccounted for. Another resident died after a house collapsed, and a man in his 70s was buried in a landslide. Footage from affected regions shows villages buried in mud and floodwaters sweeping away vehicles. In Gwangju, residents are clearing debris as soldiers help with recovery efforts. The death toll has climbed steadily since Friday, when four people were confirmed dead and over a thousand were forced to evacuate. One victim, a man in his 50s in Seosan, South Chungcheong, called his wife moments before his car was swept away by rising waters. Houses collapsed from a landslide due to heavy rain are seen in Sancheong, South Korea (AP) Nearly 2,000 public infrastructure sites have been damaged, and more than 2,200 cases of damage to private homes have been reported, according to Yonhap. Power was temporarily lost for over 41,000 households, while thousands of farm animals have died. The rain has largely subsided in the worst-hit southern and central areas, but the downpours were still battering northern areas, including the capital Seoul on Sunday. President Lee Jae-myung has declared the worst-affected regions disaster zones, allowing emergency funding to be released. Around 2,500 military personnel have been deployed to assist with cleanup and repair. Interior minister Yun Ho-jung said local authorities had been instructed to mobilise 'all available resources' for the response. Meteorologists warned of a new threat as the Korean Meteorological Administration forecast an incoming heatwave, with temperatures expected to rise to 35C in parts of the country. Heat advisories have been issued for South Jeolla, Gangwon's east coast, and Jeju Island. South Korea has experienced worsening extremes in recent years. In 2022, at least 11 people were killed by floods in what was then the country's heaviest rainfall since records began. Scientific reports have shown the climate crisis is increasing the intensity and frequency of such events, overwhelming existing infrastructure and putting more lives at risk. In April, the country suffered through its deadliest and largest wildfires that were found to have been made worse due to increasing temperatures.
The Independent
a day ago
- Climate
- The Independent
South Korea flood death toll rises to 18 amid record rain
At least 18 people have died and nine remain missing after days of torrential rain triggered flash floods and landslides across South Korea, displacing thousands and destroying homes and farmland. The downpours began last week and intensified over the weekend, with some areas seeing record-breaking hourly rainfall. More than 14,000 people have been evacuated, and damage has been reported in 15 cities and provinces, including extensive losses to homes, public infrastructure and livestock. The southern county of Sancheong was worst-hit, where 10 people were killed and four others remain missing, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said on Monday. Since Wednesday, southern regions have received 24-31 inches of rain, according to the ministry report. Further north in Gapyeong, northeast of Seoul, one man died after being swept away while camping near a stream. His wife and teenage son are still unaccounted for. Another resident died after a house collapsed, and a man in his 70s was buried in a landslide. Footage from affected regions shows villages buried in mud and floodwaters sweeping away vehicles. In Gwangju, residents are clearing debris as soldiers help with recovery efforts. The death toll has climbed steadily since Friday, when four people were confirmed dead and over a thousand were forced to evacuate. One victim, a man in his 50s in Seosan, South Chungcheong, called his wife moments before his car was swept away by rising waters. Nearly 2,000 public infrastructure sites have been damaged, and more than 2,200 cases of damage to private homes have been reported, according to Yonhap. Power was temporarily lost for over 41,000 households, while thousands of farm animals have died. The rain has largely subsided in the worst-hit southern and central areas, but the downpours were still battering northern areas, including the capital Seoul on Sunday. President Lee Jae-myung has declared the worst-affected regions disaster zones, allowing emergency funding to be released. Around 2,500 military personnel have been deployed to assist with cleanup and repair. Interior minister Yun Ho-jung said local authorities had been instructed to mobilise 'all available resources' for the response. Meteorologists warned of a new threat as the Korean Meteorological Administration forecast an incoming heatwave, with temperatures expected to rise to 35C in parts of the country. Heat advisories have been issued for South Jeolla, Gangwon's east coast, and Jeju Island. South Korea has experienced worsening extremes in recent years. In 2022, at least 11 people were killed by floods in what was then the country's heaviest rainfall since records began. Scientific reports have shown the climate crisis is increasing the intensity and frequency of such events, overwhelming existing infrastructure and putting more lives at risk. In April, the country suffered through its deadliest and largest wildfires that were found to have been made worse due to increasing temperatures.
New York Times
a day ago
- Climate
- New York Times
Landslides and Floods Kill 18 in South Korea
At least 18 people have died in South Korea as landslides and floods triggered by torrential rains buried homes and swept away people, cars and livestock, the government said on Monday. The death toll was expected to rise as rescuers removed debris and searched rain-swollen streams for nine people who were still missing, according to the country's disaster management office. Up to 31 inches of torrential rain have poured onto South Korea's southern and western provinces since last Wednesday. The hardest hit was Sancheong, a county near the central south coast, where 10 people were reported dead and four others were missing. Nearly 12 inches of rain fell there on Saturday alone, forcing the authorities to advise all 33,000 residents to look out for floods and landslides. Photos and video footage from the region showed large stretches of strawberry greenhouses destroyed by floods, with cars tossed upside down among the debris. Aging villagers sat dejectedly, gazing at boulders that had been swept in by the rain and were now occupying their front yards. Residents complained of power and water shortages, according to officials and local media. In Gapyeong County, northeast of Seoul, a family of four was camping near a stream when a landslide and flood hit their tent early Sunday. The son was rescued, but the father was found dead four miles downstream. Rescuers were still searching for the mother and an 11-year-old daughter, while using ropes and rappelling gear to move other stranded campers across streams roaring with dark-brown floodwater. The home ministry said 14,000 people had been evacuated, with their homes and farms lost or damaged. Fields growing rice, watermelon and other produce, equivalent to 40,000 soccer fields, had been damaged, the ministry of agriculture said. Nearly 1.5 million heads of livestock, including 1.4 million chickens, died, it said. President Lee Jae Myung promised to grant special disaster zone status to the worst-hit villages, which would allow the government to provide tax exemptions and other relief measures. By Monday, most of the evacuated villagers had returned to their homes, as the rain eased off and the sun came out. They faced the daunting task of rebuilding their houses. Soldiers were mobilized to help them haul rain-ravaged furniture. Workers used heavy equipment to clear roads and remove debris from under bridges. By Sunday afternoon, weather officials had downgraded their heavy rain alert. However, their forecasts indicated more rain for central and northern areas of the country on Monday. They also warned of a heat wave in the south, where officials sent vehicles weaving through villages, spraying chemicals to prevent outbreaks of disease in the aftermath of the floods.
