Flooding and landslides kill at least 36 in South Korea

Heavy rains soaked South Korea yesterday, triggering landslides and flooding that killed at least 36 people in the northern part of the country, government officials said.

Fourteen people were missing, including eight tourists who were swept away in rain-swollen streams in Kapyong, a camping resort 35km (22 miles) north-east of Seoul, authorities said last night.

In Seoul, 20 people were killed, including 11 who died after being electrocuted by street lights submerged in floodwaters.

With the rain easing yesterday afternoon, thousands of soldiers and government officials helped flood victims to clear rubbish, mud and debris from more than 21,000 houses that had been inundated. About 1,300 people have been evacuated from flooded homes.

South Korea's all-news cable channel, YTN, said 36 people died and 14 were missing.

Up to 31.1cm (12.2in) of rain had fallen overnight in Seoul and Kyonggi, a populous province surrounding the capital, the channel said.

Forecasters warned people in southern South Korea to brace for downpours of up to 12cm until early today, because the seasonal rain front was moving south.

"We may see more damage and human losses from the southern region, which was relatively unscathed today," said Kim Dong-suk, a spokesman at the National Disaster Prevention and Countermeasures Headquarters.

President Kim Dae Jung urged his Cabinet to take steps to speed the clean-up and ensure preparations were made against more rain-related damage. "Make every effort to minimise further damage in areas south of Kyonggi province," Mr Kim was quoting as saying by his chief spokesman, Park Joon-young.

Rivers that had risen above their banks and spilt on to roads receded, leaving overturned cars in their wake. Some 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres) of farmland, mostly rice paddies, were flooded.

Three of the seven main subway lines in Seoul temporarily halted service to some stations because of flooding. One of the lines resumed full service early yesterday, and the other two were expected to be running trains to all stations by early today, officials said.

About 9,000 disaster officials have been mobilised, and 1,000 military troops have been dispatched to storm-damaged regions to deal with emergencies, the government said. The fatal rainfall came less than a month after South Korea's worst drought in nearly 90 years.

During the March to June period, South Korea received only 9.3cm of rain, the lowest recorded since it began compiling meteorological data in the early 20th century. The average rainfall for the period is 29.1cm. (AP)