SEOUL, 17th July, 2023 (WAM) — Four more bodies have been recovered from a once-flooded underground road in central South Korea, bringing the number of people dead or missing in recent downpours to 49, Yonhap news agency reported, citing officials on Monday. The Osong underground roadway in the central city of Cheongju was flooded Saturday when a nearby river overflowed after an embankment was brought down by rising water levels due to heavy rain, leaving 15 vehicles, including a bus, trapped under water. Nationwide, 39 people, including 19 in the southeastern province of North Gyeongsang, had been reported to have been killed in the aftermath of the heavy rains that have pounded the country since last week as of 6 am, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters. As of 6 am, nine people remain missing, including eight in North Gyeongsang Province, while 34 people have been reportedly injured. Casualties could rise as rescuers continue an operation to drain and search the flooded underpass, where more than 10 vehicles are believed to be submerged. Across the country, 10,570 people evacuated their homes due to rain damage, according to the office. Rola AlGhoul

Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM)