South Korea Landslides Leaves 17 Dead, 3 Missing
Published July 27, 2011
| Associated Press
Print Email Share Comments
AP
South Korean rescue workers carry a survivor who was rescued from a collapsed house as a midnight landslide caused by torrential rains swept away several houses in Chuncheon, South Korea, Wednesday, July 27, 2011.
Heavy rain sent landslides barreling through the South Korean capital and a northern town Wednesday, killing 17 and leaving at least three missing, officials said.
Eight of those killed in the early morning landslide were college students who had been doing volunteer work. They were staying in a resort cabin in Chuncheon, about two hours northeast of Seoul, when the mud and debris engulfed them, Byun In-soo of the town's fire station said.
South Korea has been pummeled with strong rain this week, and more than 10 inches have fallen on Chuncheon in the last two days. The Korea Meteorological Administration said another 10 inches could fall through Friday in northern South Korea, including Seoul, parts of which were flooded from the rains.
In Chuncheon, about 500 rescuers searched for two students who were missing after the landslide. Twenty-four people were injured and several buildings destroyed.
Among the other dead were a married couple and a man who wasn't yet identified, said Lee Ju-hee of the Chuncheon fire station.
Fast-moving muddy water filled streets in Seoul on Wednesday, with people scrambling to the roofs of their partially submerged cars. Water filled some subway stations and spewed from sewers. About 800 houses flooded, according to a city disaster official who declined to be named because of office policy. There were no casualties or deaths reported. The official said 23 roads were closed in the city.
Local TV showed officials rescuing hikers stranded on mountainsides.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency issued a traffic emergency, mobilizing more police to deal with the problems caused by the heavy rain.
Weather officials say another 10 inches could fall through Friday in northern South Korea, including Seoul, parts of which were flooded from the rains.
No comments:
Post a Comment