7 Deadly Bodies Pulled Out of Flood Canal in South Korea

South Korea is at the peak of its summer monsoon season, and has been hit by floods and landslides. The country has already lost 26 people in the floods, and more people are expected to die.

The canal in the center of Cheongju city is full of water after days of heavy rains, with cars and buses swerving to enter it at such a high speed that the drivers have to flee. Rescue workers are still searching the tunnel for survivors.

1. Rescuers recovered the bodies of seven people from a canal in South Korea

The death toll from days of heavy rains that caused landslides and floods in South Korea rose to 33 on Sunday, with rescue workers pulling the bodies of seven people from cars stuck in a canal in central Cheongju. Floodwaters flowed through the canal after a nearby river failed during a major typhoon that hit the country on Saturday, local fire department chief Seo Jeong-il said in a televised conference.

The water level was rising rapidly in the Gungpyeong canal, but there were no signs of any survivors after the bus and three private cars were trapped. About 400 rescue workers, including hikers, are searching the tunnel and pumping out the muddy water.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was visiting Ukraine on Saturday, ordered President Han Duck-soo to mobilize resources to minimize casualties and asked the weather agency to speed up the release of rainfall forecasts, his office said. Korea Railroad Corp has suspended all slow trains and other bullet trains as landslides, flood tracks and falling rocks threaten safety.

2. The number of people who have died in cotton stands at nine

Thousands of people have fled their homes after days of heavy rains caused floods and landslides in South Korea, with 10 people still missing, the Ministry of Interior and Safety said on Sunday. Rescuers struggled to reach 15 vehicles, including a bus, stuck in a flooded canal in Cheongju in central North Chungcheong province, and to sift through debris for victims.

The tunnel was flooded on Saturday after the floodwaters burst in too quickly for people to escape, Yonhap news agency reported. “There were a lot of cars inside when the water started coming in and it rose very quickly,” one survivor told the news agency.

The number of people who have died in the floods has reached 35 in the whole country. President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is on an overseas trip, convened a video-linked response meeting with aides and warned that more deaths could be expected as some regions failed to take measures to prevent the weather. The government promised to mobilize all available resources and minimize the damage.

3. The rescue operation is still going on

The death toll from floods in South Korea has risen to 33 after days of heavy rains caused landslides and floods. Hundreds of rescue workers are working to get to 15 vehicles, including a bus, stuck in a canal in Cheongju, officials said on Sunday.

Rescuers struggled to get water out of the flooded tunnel, which was still filled with 4 to 5 meters (13 to 16.4 feet) of brown, muddy water and debris. They are moving slowly to prevent any casualties or survivors from being swept away, said the head of the North Chungcheong Provincial Fire Department.

Across the country, floodwaters have destroyed homes and displaced thousands of people. Floods and landslides have also left many people without electricity. President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is visiting Ukraine, has asked the prime minister to mobilize all available resources, his office said. More rain is predicted for the coming days.

4. The canal is still boiling

The bodies of another seven people were pulled from the floodwaters in central South Korea, local media reported Sunday, bringing the death toll from days of heavy rains that hit the country to 33. The rescue operation is continuing by the hour. More bodies are likely to be found in the basement in Cheongju after Saturday’s sinking, Seo Jeong-il, the city’s fire station chief, said. The canal was filled with 13 to 16.4 feet of water thinned with mud and other debris, he added.

The water rose so fast that the canal collapsed, flooding the canal. A dashcam broadcast by local broadcaster MBC showed vehicles stuck in water, including a bus.

All over the country, public roads, houses and farm fields are flooded as heavy rains have caused landslides and floods. Thousands of families have left their homes and are living in temporary shelters. President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is on an overseas trip, has ordered the prime minister to gather all available resources to minimize casualties.