The number of dead rose to 22 and 14 of those missing from the torrential rains that hit South Korea for a third day and caused landslides and a dam to overflow.

Until approximately 11:00 local time (approximately 05:00 Greek time), 1,567 people were displaced from their homes across the country, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Security, and the number may rise as a dam in Chungcheong Province overflowed.

The rescuers are racing to reach about 19 cars trapped inside a 430-meter-long underground tunnel in Cheongju, North Chungcheong, according to the ministry.

One person was found dead and nine were rescued from a bus when the tunnel flooded so quickly they could not escape, Yonhap news agency reported.

Korea Railways also announced the suspension of some high-speed trains and all others, noting that some high-speed trains may be delayed due to their slower operation as landslides, track flooding and falling rocks threaten safety. their.

A train with no passengers derailed late Friday night after a landslide hit the tracks in North Chungcheong province, the transport ministry said. The train engineer was injured in the accident.

In a meeting with government agencies, South Korean Prime Minister Han Duk-soo called on the military to actively participate in rescue operations, working with government officials to mobilize equipment and manpower.