11 dead, 8 missing after record rain pounds South Korea

Thousands of homes, buildings flooded in Seoul, nearby areas following torrential rain said to be heaviest in 80 years

ANKARA – The death toll from the record rainfall that lashed South Korea this week has risen to 11, with eight more people still missing, local media reported on Thursday.

Flooding caused by torrential rain, said to be the heaviest in 80 years, hit the capital Seoul, its surrounding Gyeonggi province and the neighboring Gangwon province, submerging roads and metro stations and causing blackouts.

Six of the deaths were in Seoul, three in Gyeonggi and two in Gangwon, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing official data.

Three of the eight missing were also in the capital.

More than 3,770 homes and buildings were flooded, most of them in Seoul.

Authorities said some 4,300 people were evacuated from residences and other buildings, with nearly 1,000 being housed in temporary shelters in the capital.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, Seoul and its surrounding areas received around 525 millimeters of rain over three days.

The department lifted the downpour warning for Seoul and nearby areas but projected more heavy rain in South Korea’s central parts, the report added.

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