Rescue workers have recovered eight bodies from a flooded underground tunnel in the central town of Osong on Sunday, bringing the total death toll from the incident to nine, officials said, as they battled to reach submerged cars due to flash floods caused by heavy rainfall.
The 685-meter-long underground roadway was flooded in Osong, North Chungcheong Province, Saturday, when a nearby river overflowed after a river embankment was brought down by rising water levels due to heavy rain.
One person was immediately found dead Saturday, while nine others were rescued.
Officials have confirmed through surveillance footage that there were some 15 vehicles inside the underpass at the time of the flooding, including a bus.
Rescuers pulled five bodies from the submerged bus early Sunday morning in a search operation that resumed in the morning, and three more bodies had been retrieved later in the day.
Authorities said the death toll could rise further as 12 people had been initially reported missing from the flooding.
The government mobilized some 458 service members, police officers and relevant officials, as well as some 30 divers and dozens of equipment for search and drainage operations.
"We are striving to wrap up search operations today as more rain is to come tomorrow," a government official said.
The weather agency has said the Chungcheong region is forecast to have up to 300 millimeters of additional rain through Tuesday.
As of 6 p.m., four of the 15 vehicles had been retrieved, according to the authorities.
Source: Yonhap News Agency