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Tuesday, February 11, 2025
WorldSeven dead bodies recovered after flooding traps cars in tunnel in...

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Seven dead bodies recovered after flooding traps cars in tunnel in South Korea

Authorities reported Sunday that seven remains were removed by rescuers from vehicles stranded in a flooded underpass in central South Korea, where days of torrential rain had created landslides and flash floods that had claimed at least 33 lives.

Seo Jeong-il, the head of the local fire department, said that after 15 vehicles, including a public bus, became stuck by rising flood waters in the Gungpyeong tunnel on Saturday, a massive search and rescue operation involving 400 employees and divers was started.

Seo said in a television briefing that the levee of the nearby Miho river in North Chungcheong province burst, allowing the flood to gushe into the tunnel and trapping the vehicles and individuals inside.

Dashcam footage from one vehicle that made it though the tunnel, shows water rushing into the underpass as cars drive head on into the flood waters.

The rescue operation was ongoing Sunday morning, with 10 people reported missing while authorities worked to identify the bodies, according to South Korean Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

Nine people had been rescued with injuries, Seo said.

Rescue teams continued to drain the tunnel of flood water Sunday morning, pumping out 80,000 liters per minute. At 4:33 a.m., the top of the bus became visible, Seo said. But authorities said the chance of finding any more survivors is unlikely.

“We are mobilizing about 30 divers in groups of two in rotation for the search operation,” said Seo. “We are trying our best right now, although it is difficult since the site is covered in mud.”

Five bodies were discovered when divers searched the trapped bus, among the dead is a woman in her 70s, according to Seo.

Dozens of people have died in South Korea in recent days as torrential monsoon rains triggered flooding and landslides across the country.

Across the country, more than 5,500 people have been forced to evacuate their homes and seek temporary shelter, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said Sunday.

In addition, some 8,300 households in four provinces are experiencing power outages, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Public roads, houses and farm fields have been damaged by the severe flooding.

South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo ordered authorities to evacuate those in landslide-prone regions and to carry out rescue efforts, according to the South Korean news agency.

Scientists have warned the frequency and intensity of heavy rainfall is increasing across East Asia as the human-caused climate crisis accelerates the probability of extreme weather events.

The latest round of heavy rains in South Korea come just days after devastating floods wreaked havoc in neighboring Japan, killing at least six people and injuring 19.

And flash floods have torn through southwest China in recent weeks, killing at least 15 people in the city of Chongqing.

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