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South Korean rescuers Sunday pulled 9 bodies from a flooded tunnel where about 15 vehicles were trapped in muddy waters as heavy rains triggered floods, landslides and destroyed homes across the country, officials said.
37 people have died and thousands have been evacuated since July 9, when torrential rains began battering central South Korea.
Nearly 900 rescuers, including divers, were inspecting the tunnel in the central city of Cheongju, where vehicles, including a bus, were swept away by torrents and vehicles, including a bus, flash flooded on Saturday night, Seo Jeong-il, chief of the city’s fire department, told a news briefing.
Fire officials estimated that the tunnel filled with water in less than two or three minutes.
Photos and videos from the scene showed rescue workers creating a perimeter and pumping brown water out of the tunnel while divers used inflatable boats to move in and out of the area.
It could take several hours to pump out all the water from the tunnel, which was still filled with 4 to 5 meters (13 to 16.4 feet) of thick water, said Yang Chanmo, an official from the North Chungcheong Province Fire Department. mud and other debris. Yang said the workers advance slowly to prevent any victims or survivors from overrunning them.
Nine survivors were rescued from the tunnel and about 10 others are believed to be missing based on reports from families or others, Seo said, but the exact number of passengers trapped in the vehicles was not immediately clear.
More than 60 cm (23.6 in) of rain has been measured in Gongju and Cheongyang counties of South Chungcheong Province since July 9. Cheongju, where the tunnel is located, received more than 54 centimeters (21.2 in) over the same period.
The Korea Meteorological Administration said the central and southern parts of the country could still get up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) of extra rain through Tuesday.
More than 8,850 people have been evacuated and 27,260 households have been without electricity in the past few days. The Ministry of Interior and Safety said the rains damaged or destroyed nearly 50 roads and more than 100 homes. At least 35 people were treated for injuries.
president Yoon Seok YulHe, who is on a trip to Europe, discussed losses and injuries caused by the rain during an emergency meeting while traveling to Poland on a train after visiting Ukraine on Saturday, according to his office. Yoon called on officials to mobilize all available resources to respond to the disaster.
37 people have died and thousands have been evacuated since July 9, when torrential rains began battering central South Korea.
Nearly 900 rescuers, including divers, were inspecting the tunnel in the central city of Cheongju, where vehicles, including a bus, were swept away by torrents and vehicles, including a bus, flash flooded on Saturday night, Seo Jeong-il, chief of the city’s fire department, told a news briefing.
Fire officials estimated that the tunnel filled with water in less than two or three minutes.
Photos and videos from the scene showed rescue workers creating a perimeter and pumping brown water out of the tunnel while divers used inflatable boats to move in and out of the area.
It could take several hours to pump out all the water from the tunnel, which was still filled with 4 to 5 meters (13 to 16.4 feet) of thick water, said Yang Chanmo, an official from the North Chungcheong Province Fire Department. mud and other debris. Yang said the workers advance slowly to prevent any victims or survivors from overrunning them.
Nine survivors were rescued from the tunnel and about 10 others are believed to be missing based on reports from families or others, Seo said, but the exact number of passengers trapped in the vehicles was not immediately clear.
More than 60 cm (23.6 in) of rain has been measured in Gongju and Cheongyang counties of South Chungcheong Province since July 9. Cheongju, where the tunnel is located, received more than 54 centimeters (21.2 in) over the same period.
The Korea Meteorological Administration said the central and southern parts of the country could still get up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) of extra rain through Tuesday.
More than 8,850 people have been evacuated and 27,260 households have been without electricity in the past few days. The Ministry of Interior and Safety said the rains damaged or destroyed nearly 50 roads and more than 100 homes. At least 35 people were treated for injuries.
president Yoon Seok YulHe, who is on a trip to Europe, discussed losses and injuries caused by the rain during an emergency meeting while traveling to Poland on a train after visiting Ukraine on Saturday, according to his office. Yoon called on officials to mobilize all available resources to respond to the disaster.
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