Heavy Rain in South Korea Continues to Cause Concern
The ongoing heavy rain in South Korea has captured the attention of authorities. As of Sunday, July 20th, the downpour has already led to 17 deaths, with 11 people reported missing and approximately 2,000 public facilities damaged.
On Sunday, a landslide occurred in Gapyeong County, South Korea, engulfing houses and campsites, and washing away vehicles. This latest incident resulted in two deaths and five people reported missing.
According to the fire department, the landslide in the Gapyeong area caused the death of a man in his forties, with two family members missing and 24 others trapped.
So far, the five-day-long heavy rain has claimed 17 lives and left 11 people missing. Around 13,000 people across 86 cities and counties have been evacuated.
Among the victims, 10 were from Sancheong County in South Gyeongsang Province. Sancheong County issued a rare county-wide evacuation order on Saturday, July 19th.
Rescue operations are currently ongoing.
President Lee Jae-myeong of South Korea has ordered a swift assessment of the losses and the designation of special disaster areas to enhance national support.
Due to the impact of heavy rainfall, communication in some areas remains unstable, and the number of missing persons has surged. Since many locations are still inaccessible or in chaos, the final death toll and losses may further increase.
A report from the South Korean Ministry of the Interior and Safety indicates that, since Wednesday, the southern regions have received rainfall of approximately 600-800 millimeters (24-31 inches).
Meteorologists in South Korea stated on Sunday that the rain is likely to cease by the end of the day, leading to the cancellation of nationwide heavy rain alerts. The Korea Meteorological Administration also officially announced the end of the monsoon season, with a subsequent heatwave expected.
(This article references reports from Reuters and The Korea Times.)