SEOUL — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday (July 17) blamed authorities' failure to follow disaster response rules as the death toll from days of torrential rain rose to 40, including a dozen people found dead in a submerged underpass.
Deluges have pummelled central and southern regions since Thursday as the rainy season that started in late June reaches its peak. The interior ministry has also reported nine people missing and 34 injured across the nation.
Mr Yoon, just back from an overseas trip, on Monday convened a disaster response meeting and conceded the situation was made worse because of poor management of vulnerable areas. Mr Seo Jeong-il, fire chief in west Cheongju, told a briefing on Monday that while search efforts continued there were no signs of more victims in the remaining vehicles in the tunnel.
Mr Yoon on Monday flew in a helicopter over some devastated areas. Earlier, he called for utmost efforts to rescue any remaining victims and vowed support for those affected, including designating flood-hit areas as special disaster zones.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
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