SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean President Yoon Sok-yol on Monday blamed authorities for failing to follow disaster response rules, as the death toll from days of torrential rain rose to 39, including 10 killed in a submerged tunnel.
Rain has lashed central and southern regions of the country since Thursday, with the rainy season, which began in late June, reaching its climax. The Ministry of Interior also reported nine people missing and 34 injured across the country.
The 12 deaths, including three bodies, occurred overnight in a tunnel in the central city of Cheonju, where 16 vehicles, including a bus, were flooded on Saturday after a river dam collapsed. Nine others were injured.
The incident raised questions about South Korea’s efforts to prevent and respond to flood damage. Some drivers who regularly use the road blamed the government for failing to block access to the tunnel despite widespread flooding expected.
Floods have claimed dozens of lives during recent rainy seasons as weather patterns become more extreme.
The government last year pledged to take steps to better deal with disasters caused by climate change after Seoul, including the attractive Gangnam district, was hit by its heaviest rains in 115 years, killing at least 14 people and inundating subways, roads and homes.
Just back from an overseas trip, Yoon held an inter-agency meeting on disaster response on Monday and said the situation has been made worse by poor management of vulnerable areas.
“We have repeatedly emphasized access control to dangerous areas and preventive evacuation since last year, but if the basic principles of disaster response are not maintained immediately, it is difficult to guarantee public safety,” Yun said during the meeting.
He called on the authorities to make every effort to save the victims and pledged support for recovery work and affected families, including designating flood-affected areas as special disaster areas.
Reporting from Hyonhee Shin. Additional reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Editing by Ed Davies and Tom Hogg
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