Torrential rains in South Korea kill at least seven in landslides and floods

Rescue workers search for people in houses collapsed following a landslide caused by heavy rain in Yecheon, South Korea. Photo / AP

Two days of heavy rain in South Korea killed at least seven people and left two others missing in landslides and floods, the government said on Saturday. Additionally, eight people were trapped following landslides in central areas earlier in the day.

Three people were killed on Saturday after landslides caused by torrential downpours buried their houses in two central towns, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said in a report.

Rescue workers search for people in a house collapsed from a landslide caused by heavy rain in Yeongju, South Korea. Photo / AP

It said two other people were also found dead elsewhere on Saturday in landslide-related accidents, and two other people died in a building collapse caused by landslides in the central city of Nonsan on Friday.

The report said two people were missing Saturday after flooding in their village in the central town of Yecheon. It said five people were injured due to landslide-caused accidents, including a train derailment, on Friday and Saturday.

Rescue workers search for people in a house collapsed following a landslide caused by heavy rain in Yeongju, South Korea. Photo / AP

South Korea has been pounded by heavy rains since July 9. The ministry report said the rainfall forced about 1,570 people to evacuate and left thousands of households without electricity in the past several days.

South Korea’s weather agency said some parts of the country will continue to receive heavy rains until Sunday.