At least 14 confirmed dead as South Korea grapples with devastating floods

The country faces ongoing recovery efforts as rain subsides but further downpours loom, increasing the risk of further disasters.

At least 14 individuals have lost their lives due to severe flooding and landslides that have occurred in South Korea over recent days, according to reports from the national disaster management office. As rescue operations are underway, there are grave concerns that the death toll may rise, with 12 people still unaccounted for.

Video footage emerging from the resort town of Gapyeong depicts residents navigating through thick mud and debris as they make their way to evacuation centers via a damaged bridge. In a harrowing turn of events, a village in the central Chungcheon region was buried beneath earth and rubble after a landslide struck on Saturday.

Since the onset of these relentless downpours that began on Wednesday, nearly 10,000 residents have been forced to flee their homes. Furthermore, over 41,000 households have experienced power outages, according to local media. Although the heavy rain has significantly reduced in the severely affected southern and central regions, forecasting models predict more rain in the capital city of Seoul and northern areas on Sunday.

The impact of the flooding has been catastrophic, with thousands of buildings and roadways damaged or submerged, alongside extensive agricultural destruction and high livestock mortality. Six casualties were reported in Sancheong county, while fatalities and disappearances have also been documented in northern mountainous territories and other regions.

On Sunday, two additional fatalities and four missing persons were confirmed in Gapyeong, a location particularly hard hit by a landslide that devastated homes. Local fire department officials have reported that 63 individuals have been rescued and 285 have evacuated the stricken area. With serious landslide warnings now in effect across various regions, the government has initiated a coordinated recovery response to address the aftermath of these tragic events.