Death Toll Reaches 16 As Torrential Rains Wreak Havoc In Parts Of S. Korea

Reporter Rosyn Park ㅣ 2020-08-06 10:07

Heavy rain causes flooding in a rural community in Cheorwon County, Gangwon Province, near the inter-Korean border.

Localized torrential rain in the greater Seoul area and central region have left at least 16 dead, 11 missing and seven others injured.

The Central Disaster Management Headquarters reported that as of 6 a.m. Thursday, more than 1,600 people have been displaced by flooding and landslides that engulfed homes, mostly in the Chungcheong provinces.

Overnight, some 2,500 residents in various border counties and cities, including Yeoncheon, Paju and Cheorwon, were also forced to evacuate after flood warnings were issued amid rising water levels.

The unrelenting rain and strong winds that have lashed South Korea since Saturday have resulted in widespread property damage, affecting over 5,100 public and private facilities and destroying some 8,000 hectares of farmland.

The central government is expected to respond to the growing toll by designating hard-hit areas in North Chungcheong, South Chungcheong and Gyeonggi as special disaster zones, freeing up relief funds to support local governments with recovery efforts.