Korea's torrential rain death toll rises to 11

The death count due to record heavy rains across central regions of the Korean peninsula stood at 11 as of Thursday morning, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.

A roadsign near a stream in Cheongju, North Chungcheong, falls over as torrents caused by rainfall continued Thursday. [YONHAP]

The death count due to record heavy rains across central regions of the Korean peninsula stood at 11 as of Thursday morning, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.

The most recent casualty, reported late Wednesday night, was of a person who was swept away by torrents caused by rainfall in Chuncheon, Gangwon.

Out of the 11 deaths, six were in Seoul, three in Gyeonggi and two in Gangwon. There were three missing people in Seoul, three in Gyeonggi and two in Wonju, Gangwon, as of Thursday morning.

The total number of people evacuated from their homes recorded 5,279, a number that encompasses those from all regions affected by the rain: Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi, Gwangwon and South Chungcheong.

Houses, apartments and stores that were flooded were 3,755, with much of them in the greater Seoul area. Flooded farmland amounted to 305 hectares (754 acres). There were 26 landslides recorded, mostly in the Gangwon region.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]