Search and rescue efforts continue after deadly torrential summer rains kill 23 in S. Korea

The death toll from last week's torrential rain has risen yet again.

Our Moon Hye-ryeon has the latest.

At least 23 people have died following the heavy rains that swept across South Korea last week, with the death toll continuing to rise as search and rescue operations press on.

Two more bodies were recovered on Wednesday morning — one in Gapyeong-gun County, Gyeonggi-do Province, and another in Sancheong-gun County, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, where 13 fatalities have been confirmed.

Authorities have identified the body found in Gapyeong as one of the individuals previously reported missing.

The other remains unidentified, bringing the current number of missing people still unaccounted for to six.

Search efforts are ongoing in Sancheong, where a fire department official said that while receding water levels have improved conditions slightly, the search remains challenging due to limited equipment access, forcing crews to rely heavily on manual inspections.

In Gapyeong, search teams involving more than 700 personnel continue, but have been prolonged due to rapid water currents.

Meanwhile, residents in the area are grappling with the aftermath of the torrential rains and landslides that devastated homes, businesses, and farmlands.

"The cowshed was completely flooded. We got a warning from the village center telling us to evacuate, but with the cows here, we couldn't leave. It was heartbreaking."

Nearly two million livestock died due to the heavy rains since last Wednesday, while nearly 3 hectares of crops were destroyed.

Many returned to find their properties unrecognizable — buildings reduced to rubble, interiors buried under layers of mud, and entire crops destroyed.

"The damage is just overwhelming. The water's been cut off, so there's nothing we can do. There's no electricity, no running water"

As the nation continues to reel from the destruction, rescue crews remain in a race against time, working around the clock to locate the missing and support recovery efforts.

Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News.