26 Jul 2008

Heavy rains pound South Korea

10:11 pm on 26 July 2008

Seven people have been killed and six are missing as heavy downpours pounded parts of South Korea for the fourth straight day on Saturday, emergency services said.

Four people were killed in the worst-hit southern region of Bonghwa in North Gyeongsang province, which was drenched by 200mm of rain in a 24-hour period.

The landslides and flooding triggered by the rains drove 100 families from their homes. Four are missing in the region.

About 600 houses have been affected by flooding or landslides throughout the country, and more than 1,200 hectares of farmland has been inundated, mostly north of the capital, Seoul, and in North Gyeongsang, the National Emergency Management Agency said.

More heavy rains are expected in the capital region and in the eastern province of Gangwon, the meteorological service said.