South Korea floods trigger landslides and leave at least 14 dead
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
Death toll from South Korea rains rises to 16
Heavy rainfall for five consecutive days has left at least 16 people dead across South Korea and another 10 missing. Two people died and as many went missing in the resort town of Gapyeong on Sunday after a landslide engulfed houses. Heavy rainfall broke daily rainfall records in July and forced the evacuation of at least 3,840 people from their homes. President Lee Jae Myung ordered the worst-hit areas, mostly in the south of the country, to be declared special disaster zones, which would entitle them to government support.
Two people died and as many went missing in the resort town of Gapyeong on Sunday after a landslide engulfed houses and flooding swept away vehicles.
The interior ministry said eight people were discovered dead and six were reported missing in the southern town of Sancheong on Saturday after heavy rainfall caused flash floods and landslides.
The overall death toll stood at 16 as of 4pm local time on Sunday, The Korea Herald reported, citing fire authorities.
Damaged vehicles are seen after heavy rainfall in Gapyeong, South Korea, on 20 July 2025 (AP)
President Lee Jae Myung ordered the worst-hit areas, mostly in the south of the country, to be declared special disaster zones, which would entitle them to government support for damage recovery and relief.
Interior minister Yoon Ho Jung asked local authorities to “mobilise all available resources” to carry out “swift emergency restoration work” after the government launched a multi-agency recovery effort.
Mr Yoon announced that a prompt damage assessment would be launched to develop restoration plans for damaged facilities, including homes, commercial buildings and roads.
“The ministry and local governments need to ensure that the displaced residents staying in temporary shelters do not face any inconvenience by providing a sufficient amount of relief supplies and making their utmost effort in emergency restoration to help evacuees return to their normal lives as quickly as possible,” he said.
Houses collapsed from a landslide are seen in Sancheong, South Korea, on 19 July 2025 (AP)
Last week, three people were found dead in a submerged car and another person was killed when their car was buried by soil and concrete after a retaining wall of an overpass collapsed in Osan, just south of Seoul. The saturated soil had increased the risk of landslides even in areas receiving relatively modest rainfall.
The downpours swept through South Chungcheong, South Jeolla and South Gyeongsang regions this past week, with rainfall exceeding 500mm breaking daily rainfall records in July and forcing the evacuation of at least 3,840 people from their homes, the interior ministry said.
The rain stopped in most of South Korea on Sunday and heavy rain alerts were subsequently lifted, the ministry added.
This period of heavy rainfall was expected to be followed by a heat wave, the country’s official weather forecaster said.
Death toll rises to 14 in South Korea as heavy rain triggers landslide and flooding
A woman in her 70s was killed when her house collapsed in a landslide in Gapyeong. This brings the nationwide death toll to 14, with 12 people missing since the rain began on Wednesday. The rainfall is likely to stop on Sunday and be followed by a heat wave, the government weather forecaster said.
This brings the nationwide death toll to 14, with 12 people missing since the rain began on Wednesday.
The rainfall is likely to stop on Sunday and be followed by a heat wave, the government weather forecaster said Sunday. The heavy rainfall, which had earlier lashed southern parts of South Korea, moved north overnight, it added.
Close to 170 millimeters of rain hit Gapyeong County in Gyeonggi province, 70 kilometers east of Seoul, early Sunday.
Among the deaths Sunday was a woman in her 70s, who was killed when her house collapsed in a landslide around 4:40 a.m. in Gapyeong, the Yonhap news agency reported.
Most of the deaths have occurred in the southern county of Sancheong, which has seen nearly 800 mm of rain since Wednesday.
South Korea typically experiences monsoon rains in July and is usually well-prepared. But last week, the country’s southern regions were hit by especially intense downpours, with some of the heaviest hourly rainfall on record, official weather data showed.
Scientists say climate change has made extreme weather events more frequent and intense around the world.
In 2022, South Korea endured record-breaking rains and flooding, which killed at least 11 people.
South Korea floods trigger landslides and leave at least 14 dead
At least 14 dead in South Korea floods and landslides caused by days of torrential rain. Fears death toll could rise as emergency rescue efforts continue, with 12 people reported missing. President Lee Jae-myung ordered worst-hit areas to be declared as special disaster zones on Sunday. More heavy rain is still expected in capital Seoul and northern regions on Sunday, but will be followed by an intense heatwave.
6 hours ago Share Save Maia Davies & Je Seung Lee BBC News Share Save
Strong floodwaters swept through south-eastern South Korea
At least 14 people have died in floods and landslides caused by days of torrential rain in South Korea, the country’s disaster management office has said. There are fears the death toll could rise as emergency rescue efforts continue, with 12 people reported missing. Footage showed people wading through thick mud in the landslide-hit resort town of Gapyeong on Sunday as they made their way across a damaged bridge to evacuation shelters. Further south, an entire village was covered with earth and debris following a landslide in the central Chungcheong region, according to video footage from Saturday.
Much of the destruction has been in the country’s south, with six people killed and seven missing in Sancheong. Thousands of roads and buildings have been damaged and submerged by raging floodwaters, with reports of damage to farmland and the widespread death of livestock. Across the region, nearly 10,000 people have evacuated their homes since the downpour began on Wednesday, while more than 41,000 households have temporarily lost power, local media reported. The rain has largely subsided in the worst-hit southern and central areas, but overnight the downpours moved north, and more heavy rain is still expected in the capital Seoul and northern regions on Sunday. President Lee Jae-myung ordered the worst-hit areas to be declared as special disaster zones on Sunday and the government has launched a multi-agency recovery effort. Interior minister Yun Ho-jung asked local authorities to mobilise “all available resources” swiftly. A landslide in the northern Gapyeong County killed two people when several properties were engulfed in mud, AFP reported, citing government officials. The rainfall is expected to end late on Sunday, but will be followed by an intense heatwave.
At least 14 dead in South Korea after heavy rains trigger landslide, floods
Above average rainfall recorded in last five days in Sancheong county, where most deaths took place. Two people died and four went missing in the resort town of Gapyeong on Sunday after a landslide engulfed houses and flooding swept away vehicles. Most of the deaths occurred in the southern county of Sanchesong, which has seen nearly 800mm (31.5 inches) of rain since Wednesday. A total of 12,921 people have taken shelter across 14 major cities and provinces.
The nationwide death toll from heavy rainfall in South Korea has risen to 14, authorities said, as fears grow of more deaths, with 12 more people missing since the disaster began.
Two people died and four went missing in the resort town of Gapyeong on Sunday after a landslide engulfed houses and flooding swept away vehicles, the AFP news agency reported, citing government officials.
A woman in her 70s was killed when her house collapsed in the landslide, while the body of a man in his 40s was found near a bridge after he drowned, South Korea’s official news agency Yonhap reported.
Close to 170mm (6.7 inches) of rainfall was recorded in the area in Gyeonggi province, about 70km (40 miles) east of Seoul, early on Sunday.
But most of the deaths occurred in the southern county of Sancheong, which has seen nearly 800mm (31.5 inches) of rain since Wednesday.
Two bodies were found there early on Sunday during search and rescue operations, raising the number of deaths in the rural county of 33,000 to eight, with six still missing.
The adjacent county of Hapcheon received 699mm (27.5 inches) of rain, while the nearby county of Hadong got 621.5mm (24.5 inches).
Two of the 12 people reported missing were from the southwestern city of Gwangju, Yonhap said.
Yonhap also quoted authorities as saying they have registered 1,920 cases of flooded roads, soil loss and destroyed public facilities, and 2,234 other cases of damage to private property, such as buildings and farmland.
Advertisement
A total of 12,921 people have taken shelter across 14 major cities and provinces, Yonhap said.
South Korea typically experiences monsoon rains in July and is usually well-prepared. But this week, the country’s southern regions were hit by especially intense downpours, with some of the heaviest hourly rainfall on record, official weather data showed.
Scientists say climate change has made extreme weather events more frequent and intense around the world. In 2022, South Korea endured record-breaking rains and flooding, which killed at least 11 people.
Historic rainfall triggers widespread flooding across Tokyo, Japan
Heavy rainfall of over 100 mm (4 inches) triggered flooding across Tokyo, stranding vehicles and causing widespread damage. Low-lying areas in the Kanto region remain under the threat of landslides as heavy rainfall continues across the region. A series of “record-breaking short-duration heavy rain’ advisories were issued. The Japan Meteorological Agency has forecast up to 150 mm (6 inches) of rain in the 24 hours through 18:00 LT on Friday, July 11. The Meguro River, which flows through Tokyo’s Shinagawa and Meguro wards, has reached the “flood risk water level,” the threshold at which local authorities are advised to issue evacuation orders. Sakurajima has erupted, launching an ash plume 1,800 meters into the air.
Heavy rainfall triggered widespread flooding across the Kanto and Tohoku regions of Japan on Thursday evening, with parts of Tokyo receiving over 100 mm (4 inches) of rain within one hour.
Approximately 110 mm (4.33 inches) of rainfall was recorded in Tokyo’s Nerima Ward between 17:40 and 18:40 local time (LT) on Thursday. The same amount was recorded in Nakano Ward around 18:50 LT. Suginami recorded approximately 120 mm (4.72 inches) of rainfall by 19:00 LT, while Meguro Ward received 100 mm (3.94 inches) by that time.
A series of “record-breaking short-duration heavy rain” advisories were issued, mainly in the Kanto-Koshin region amid the historic rainfall. Although the peak of the heavy rainfall in Kanto-Koshin is subsiding, the risk of flooding and landslides remains a threat for low-lying areas.
This isn’t isolated — it’s happening everywhere.
Is anyone paying attention yet?
Is this cloud seeding? pic.twitter.com/92gsXtik6r — Tony Lane (@TonyLaneNV) July 10, 2025
No Matter India or Tokyo World Is Noticing Unprecedented Rainfalls .
Tokyo, alerting residents to flooding risks after unprecedented rainfall in the capital. pic.twitter.com/sNq0qrFAke — INDIAN (@hindus47) July 10, 2025
The floods caused widespread damage, with one video on social media showing the leak through the roof of a railway station.
The flooding also disrupted road traffic, leaving vehicles at risk of becoming stranded. The Tokyo Fire Department received a report of a car stranded in a flooded underpass in the Yoyogi area of Shibuya Ward at 18:40 LT.
The driver was temporarily trapped inside the vehicle, but was able to evacuate independently and is safe, according to officials.
Double trouble in Japan!
Floods in #Tokyo due to torrential rainfall and volcanic eruption in #Kyushu. Sakurajima has erupted, launching an ash plume 1,800 meters into the air.
Keep an eye out for alerts Stay safe and sound.#japanflood #Sakurajima
pic.twitter.com/Tr56pSW0bQ — ECO Discussion (@ecodiscussion1) July 10, 2025
Heavy rainfall caused the Meguro River, which flows through Tokyo’s Shinagawa and Meguro wards, to reach the “flood risk water level,” the threshold at which local authorities are advised to issue evacuation orders.
The rising water level has placed both Shinagawa and Meguro wards at risk of flooding. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) have issued a Flood Risk Information Alert, urging residents to exercise extreme caution.
The agency is also warning of potential flooding in underground areas and is advising people to move to higher floors of buildings for safety.
The JMA has forecast up to 150 mm (6 inches) of rain in the 24 hours through 18:00 LT on Friday, July 11 in the Kanto region, which includes Tokyo, and 100 mm (4 inches) for the Koshin region of Yamanashi and Nagano prefectures.