South Korean floods kill tens of people, thousands of people evacuate

Seoul, The Indonesia Post – At least 30 people have died, and 12 are still missing after 46 days of torrential rain in South Korea, with the country’s longest rainy season in seven years causing more flooding, landslides and evacuations having been carried out on Sunday.

Nearly 6,000 people had been evacuated as of Sunday, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, the flooding was a result of heavy rainfall hitting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula.

Yonhap news agency also received information from the Central Disaster Management and Safety Headquarters which stated that at least eight people were injured in the disaster.

Three ships capsized at Uiam Dam in Chuncheon, 85 kilometers (53 miles) east of Seoul, which left three dead and three missing on Sunday. And the disaster is listed as a sea accident.

More than 5,900 people from 11 provinces fled their homes, and about 4,600 of them have been in temporary shelters after the disaster warning, according to Yonhap.

Currently, it is estimated that 9,300 hectares (22,980 hectares) of agricultural land are inundated or buried, while it is only known that 9,500 public facilities have suffered damage.

Reuters news agency also said that about 100 meters (109.36 yards) of embankment also collapsed on the Seomjin River on the southern bank of the peninsula on Saturday and flooded the area, currently the government has evacuated some 1,900 people in the province, including 500 people. who live near the river.

The country’s forestry agency has warned of landslides with the highest level of status in every region except the holiday island Jeju.

Five houses were buried in a landslide on Friday from a mountain behind a village in Gokseong, South Jeolla province, killing five people. Three people have been saved.

Twelve local flights were canceled at Gwangju regional airport near the southwestern tip of the peninsula after the runway was flooded, according to Yonhap news agency.

The city of Seoul warned people to stay away from cellars, valleys and rivers as heavy rain was expected to fall on Saturday night.

The longest rainy season in South Korea on record was 49 days in 2013. Current weather forecasts predict that this year’s rainy season could last longer.

Jangmi, the fifth tropical cyclone this season, is expected to hit the southern region of the Korean Peninsula from Monday, bringing more rain to the flood-stricken areas.

Formed Sunday morning southwest of Okinawa, the typhoon moved northeast and is expected to pass through Jeju Island waters early Monday, according to the Korea Meteorological Agency.

In neighboring North Korea, state media Korean Central Broadcasting also warned of additional torrential rains in areas already hit by flooding, according to Yonhap.

Following leader Kim Jong Un’s reported flood relief inspection on Friday, KCNA said on Saturday that Pak Pong Ju, deputy chair of the state’s top decision-making commission, was inspecting damage to fields and submerged crops in the country’s southwest. (ojn / bbs)