CHEONGJU: The bodies of eight people trapped in a tunnel submerged by heavy rain in central South Korea were retrieved on Sunday (Jul 16), authorities and local media said, taking the death toll from days of torrential downpours that have pounded the country to 35.
Seo Jeong-il, head of the west Cheongju fire station, said 15 vehicles, including a bus, were estimated to have been submerged in the underpass in the city shortly after a levee of a nearby river was destroyed by the downpours on Saturday.
CCTV footage aired on local broadcaster MBC showed muddy water rushing into the tunnel as vehicles drove past with their wheels submerged.
“We are focusing on the search operation as there’s likely more people there,” Seo told reporters. “We are doing our best to wrap it up today.”
The death toll in the tunnel stands at nine, including one body retrieved on Saturday, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported.
Source: CNA
