Seoul: Torrential rain in southern South Korea has caused a deadly landslide in Geoje, leaving 1 person dead and 4 injured as rainfall approaches 1,000mm.
South Gyeongsang province recorded intense rainfall from August 15, with Geoje receiving about 800mm rain over the weekend. Rain continued into August 17, taking the cumulative total to 912mm by 6pm.
Police and firefighters rescued 3 residents from an apartment building affected by the landslide. One rescued resident was found in cardiac arrest and later died in hospital. Two people sustained injuries in Geoje while another 2 were injured in nearby cities.
The heavy rain has prompted warnings across southern South Korea and forced about 390 people to leave their homes. Power outages affected about 3,580 houses. Flooding also hit 12 schools and kindergartens, while firefighters received dozens of calls linked to rain-related damage and accidents.
Prime Minister Han Seong-sook instructed police, firefighters and other authorities to prioritise rescue operations for residents stranded or facing danger from the severe weather.
Meanwhile, heavy monsoon rain in the Philippines has added to the regional weather emergency. Flooding in Manila disrupted traffic and prompted the government to suspend government work while schools were asked to shift to online learning.
Around 3 weeks of intermittent monsoon rain and a storm that struck Luzon 2 weeks earlier have killed at least 23 people and affected about 5 million people. Nearly 25,000 people remained in government emergency shelters across several northern provinces.
Among the dead were 10 people, including children, whose homes were buried in a landslide in Baguio on August 9. Rescuers recovered 3 other people alive with injuries after a landslide sent mud, rocks and debris swept down a mountainside while residents slept.
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