Torrential Rains Devastate South Korea: 14 Dead, 12 Missing After Five Days of Flooding and Landslides
- Victor Nwoko
- Jul 20
- 2 min read
Five consecutive days of torrential rain have wreaked havoc across South Korea, leaving at least 14 people dead and 12 others missing, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
On Sunday, one person was killed when their home collapsed during heavy rainfall, while another victim was found dead after being swept away by a swollen stream in Gapyeong, a town northeast of Seoul. Authorities confirmed that Gapyeong remains one of the hardest-hit areas, with six individuals still unaccounted for.
The southern town of Sancheong suffered one of the worst tragedies on Saturday, when heavy downpours triggered deadly landslides, flash floods, and structural collapses. Eight people were confirmed dead, and six more remain missing in the wake of the destruction.
Earlier in the week, three individuals were found dead inside a submerged car, while another person died when their vehicle was crushed by debris after a retaining wall collapsed near an overpass in Osan, just south of Seoul.
As of 9 a.m. Sunday, more than 3,800 people remain displaced from their homes due to flood damage and landslide threats. Emergency shelters have been set up across affected regions to accommodate evacuees.
While the rain began to ease across the country on Sunday, and weather alerts have since been lifted, the impact remains severe. The Ministry reported that some southern areas recorded up to 600–800 millimeters (24–31 inches) of rainfall since Wednesday, overwhelming local drainage systems and destabilizing the terrain.
Recovery efforts are ongoing, with search and rescue operations focused on locating the missing and restoring basic infrastructure in the hardest-hit areas.
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