More Heavy Rains Expected to Hit the Nation

Torrential rains over the weekend in the central area of South Korea have left at least 16 people dead or missing and caused unthinkable property damage.
The downpours have also forced 14,258 people to flee submerged homes between the country's capital Seoul and the border with North Korea, government disaster officials said.
Hundreds of people sought shelter in schools and government buildings, where aid workers handed out blankets, water and food.
As much as 535mm of rain fell on Taekwang-ri, a small northern town in Kyonggi Province, from Saturday through Sunday morning. Precipitations in Cholwon, Tongduchon and Paju were reported more than 400mm, where many roads and railways were washed out and vast swaths of rice paddies were flooded. Telephone lines and electricity in some areas were cut off.
More heavy rains were expected to hit the Korean Peninsula in the next two to three days, raising fears of more damage and casualties.
In Hwachon, six anglers from Seoul were buried in a landslide early Sunday morning and only one was rescued.
A dam partially collapsed in Yonchon, forcing 3,000 to desert their flooded homes. A dike in Tongduchon, where many U.S. military bases are located, also collapsed, resulting in the inundation of hundreds of homes.
Shim Shabg-bok :simsb@joongang.co.kr