Deadly Floods and Landslides Claim 17 Lives in South Korea

The ongoing rescue operations are hampered by fears of rising casualty numbers amid a severe weather crisis.

At least 17 people have been confirmed dead due to devastating floods and landslides in South Korea following several days of relentless rain, according to the country's disaster management office. As emergency rescue efforts proceed, there are concerns that the number of casualties could continue to increase, with at least 11 individuals currently reported missing.

Dramatic footage has surfaced showing residents struggling through deep mud in the resort town of Gapyeong on Sunday, as they navigated damaged infrastructure towards evacuation centers. In the central Chungcheong area, an entire village has been buried under earth and debris as a result of a landslide, according to reports from Saturday.

The southern regions have suffered the most, with Sancheong recording six fatalities and seven people still unaccounted for. Flooding has wreaked havoc on infrastructure, damaging thousands of roads and buildings while also impacting farmland and livestock. Nearly 10,000 residents have fled their homes since the torrential rains commenced on Wednesday, affecting more than 41,000 households which have lost power.

Although the heavy rainfall has eased in the most severely affected southern and central regions, it has since moved northward, and the capital city of Seoul is now bracing for further downpours on Sunday. President Lee Jae-myung declared the hardest-hit areas as special disaster zones, prompting a multi-agency recovery operation initiated by the government. Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung urged local authorities to quickly utilize all available resources in response to the crisis.

In Gapyeong County, a single landslide tragically claimed the lives of two individuals as numerous homes were engulfed by mud, as reported by AFP citing government sources. While the adverse weather is forecasted to taper off late Sunday, residents are warned of an impending heatwave that may follow.