37 Dead Nationwide Due to Heavy Rain... 9 Dead in Osong Underpass

Two More Bodies Recovered from Osong Underpass
11 Reported Missing, Additional Victims Possible
13 of 19 Deaths in Gyeongbuk Due to Landslide Damage

Due to continuous heavy rain for the fifth consecutive day, landslides and underpass flooding have occurred across the country, resulting in nearly 40 deaths.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) as of 11 a.m. on the 16th, the death toll from the heavy rain was counted at 33. By region, there were 17 in Gyeongbuk, 11 in Chungbuk, 4 in Chungnam, and 1 in Sejong. There are 10 missing persons (9 in Gyeongbuk and 1 in Busan).

On the afternoon of the 16th, houses and a bridge in the Cheongnam-myeon area of Cheongyang-gun, Chungnam were submerged in water. The water overflowed after the embankment of a tributary near the drainage pump station collapsed since the previous night. (Photo by Yonhap News)

After the CDSCH announcement, two more bodies were recovered from the Osong underpass, and two additional deaths due to heavy rain were reported in Gyeongbuk, bringing the total death toll to 37. If more victims are found in the Osong underpass flooding accident, the death toll is expected to rise further.

At around 8:40 a.m. on the 15th, water poured into the Gungpyeong 2 underpass in Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si, flooding 15 vehicles. Due to the heavy rain, the river water level rose sharply, and the embankment of Miho River collapsed, causing river water to pour into the underpass. Within 2 to 3 minutes, approximately 60,000 tons of water filled the 430-meter-long underpass tunnel.

According to the police's closed-circuit television (CCTV) analysis, a total of 15 vehicles?including 1 bus, 2 trucks, and 12 passenger cars?were trapped in the underpass. Nine people were rescued immediately after the accident, but following the discovery of one deceased person the previous day, eight more bodies, including bus passengers, were found on this day.

Search operations for the missing person are underway on the morning of the 16th at Gungpyeong 2 Underpass in Osong-eup, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk. (Photo by Yonhap News)

The rescue authorities received reports of 11 missing persons in total but have not accurately determined the number of vehicle occupants. The CDSCH's list of missing persons due to heavy rain does not include victims of the Osong underpass flooding. As of 4 p.m. on the same day, 70% of the water had been drained, but the deep water in the middle section of the underpass is making the search difficult.

In Gyeongbuk, 13 of the 19 deaths were caused by landslides. On this day, one resident who was swept away by water in Gamcheon-myeon, Yecheon-gun and rescued earlier died, and a woman in her 60s who was missing at the landslide site in Baekseok-ri, Hyoja-myeon, Yecheon-gun was found dead, increasing the heavy rain death toll to 19.

The scene of a landslide in Beolbang-ri, Gamcheon-myeon, Yecheon-gun, Gyeongbuk Province, on the afternoon of the 16th (Photo by Yonhap News)

The previous morning, a landslide occurred in Punggi-eup, Yeongju-si, killing two family members, and five people died in Baekseok-ri village, Hyoja-myeon, Yecheon-gun. In addition, heavy rain continued mainly in the northern region of Gyeongbuk, leaving 1,563 residents unable to return home. Power outages occurred in 10,464 households in Yeongju, Mungyeong, Yecheon, and Bonghwa but have mostly been restored.

In Daejeon, Sejong, and Chungnam, five deaths were reported due to heavy rain. Four people died in landslides that occurred in Nonsan, Cheongyang, and Sejong between the 14th and 15th, and one person was swept away and died in Gongju. A man in his 70s who went missing after being swept away by water while fishing in Asan on the 14th was found dead on the morning of the 16th. Authorities classified this as a safety accident rather than heavy rain damage.

In Gongju-si, Okryong-dong, where water rose to adult waist height, 107 residents evacuated to Gongju University Okryong Campus or acquaintances' homes. In Cheongnam-myeon, Cheongyang-gun, where the embankment collapsed causing flooding, 203 residents of Inyang-ri are staying at Cheongnam Elementary School, the village hall, and the Cheongaram Center. The total area of farmland damage is 3,283.8 hectares. Landslides occurred at a total of 147 locations.

KORAIL will suspend all Mugunghwa and Saemaeul train operations and inspect tracks from the 15th to the 17th, following the suspension on the 15th and 16th. KTX trains are operating only on the Gyeongbu High-Speed Line, Gangneung Line, Jeolla Line, and Honam Line, but some routes are experiencing delays.