9 bodies are pulled from a flooded tunnel in South Korea as rains cause flash floods

Rescuers in South Korea have extracted nine bodies from a flooded tunnel, and the heavy rains responsible have caused flash floods and landslides across the country, claiming 37 lives since July 9.

The event: The bodies were found in a tunnel within the city of Cheongju, where around 15 vehicles were trapped due to flash flooding, according to Seo Jeong-il, chief of Cheongju’s fire department.
* The tunnel reportedly filled with water in two or three minutes.
* Rescuers are slowly pumping out the water to avoid victim or survivor loss, with the tunnel still containing around 4 to 5 meters of water laden with mud and debris.
* Nine survivors were rescued from the tunnel, and approximately ten others are believed to still be missing.

By the numbers: Since July 9, this rain event has led to the evacuation of more than 8,850 people, left over 27,260 households without power, damaged nearly 50 roads, and destroyed more than 100 houses.
* Rainfall measurements in the South Chungcheong provincial towns of Gongju and Cheongyang exceeded 60 centimeters, and in Cheongju, where the tunnel was located, the rainfall exceeded 54 centimeters during the same period.
* The Korea Meteorological Administration forecasted another 30 centimeters of rain in central and southern South Korea through Tuesday.

Offical reaction: Amidst his trip to Europe, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol held an emergency meeting to discuss the rain-related damages and casualties, urging officials to mobilize all available resources to handle the disaster.

View original article on NPR

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