Rescue workers have recovered eight bodies from a flooded underground tunnel in the central town of Osong on Sunday, officials said, as they battled to reach some 15 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.
Early Sunday morning, rescuers pulled five bodies from a submerged bus in a search operation that resumed in the morning.
As of Sunday afternoon, three more bodies had been additionally retrieved, bringing the death toll from the underpass flooding to nine.
Authorities said the death toll could rise further as 11 people had been initially reported missing from the flooding.
Officials have confirmed through surveillance footage that there were some 15 vehicles inside the underpass at the time of the flooding, including the bus.
Source: Yonhap News Agency