At least 14 people have lost their lives due to floods and landslides triggered by several days of heavy rain in South Korea, according to the country’s disaster management office. The death toll may rise as rescue operations continue, with 12 individuals still reported missing.
Residents in the landslide-stricken resort town of Gapyeong were seen wading through thick mud, crossing a damaged bridge to reach evacuation shelters. In the central Chungcheon region, an entire village was buried under earth and debris following a landslide.
Since the heavy rains began on Wednesday, nearly 10,000 people have evacuated their homes.
Over 41,000 households have experienced temporary power outages. Floodwaters have damaged and submerged thousands of roads and buildings. Widespread destruction to farmland and significant livestock losses have been reported.
The southern regions have been particularly affected, with six fatalities and seven missing in Sancheong county. Casualties have also been reported in northern mountainous areas near Seoul and other western and northern regions.
In Gapyeong, two people died and four remain missing after a landslide engulfed homes. The Gyeonggi Province Fire Department confirmed that 63 people have been rescued and 285 evacuated from the affected area. Serious landslide warnings remain in effect across several parts of the country.
In response, the government launched a coordinated multi-agency recovery operation on Sunday.
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