13 dead due to heavy rains in S.Korea

Seoul, Aug 4 (SocialNews.XYZ) At least 13 people have died and 13 others were reported missing due to the heavy rains that have continued to lash South Korea's central region.

More than 1,000 were forced to leave their homes, while some 5,751 hectares of farm land were swamped or buried, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.

Most recently, six deaths were reported in Pyeongtaek and Gapyeong, both in Gyeonggi province, as landslides engulfed a makeshift workplace and a mountainside accommodation, reports Yonhap News Agency.

Property damage continued to increase, with 1,483 private assets and 1,475 public facilities suffering damage from the downpour.

Around one-third of the damage was reported at houses, while damage was also reported at warehouses, agricultural plastic houses and cattle sheds, according to the government.

Public facilities, such as roads and bridges, railways and water reservoirs were also destroyed.

In Seoul, most riverside roads that had entry restricted as water levels rose were back in operation, with the exception of Jamsu Bridge, which links the capitals' southern and northern parts over the Han River.

President Moon Jae-in is set to hold an emergency meeting later in the day on countering the recent damage.

Weather forecasts, meanwhile, showed that the downpour is likely to continue for the next few days.

Around 100-300 mm of rain was expected in parts of Seoul and Gyeonggi and North Chungcheong provinces, with precipitation hitting 500 mm in some areas.

Source: IANS