Seoul - The death toll from flash floods and landslides in South Korea has risen to at least 40, with 13 bodies recovered from a flooded road tunnel in the central city of Cheongju. The devastation caused by days of heavy rain prompted President Yoon Suk Yeol to issue a warning that extreme weather events will become commonplace due to the climate crisis.

President Yoon emphasized the need to accept climate change as a reality and urged the country to take extraordinary measures to enhance preparedness and response strategies. He also ordered an all-out effort to deal with the floods and pledged support for recovery work, including designating special disaster zones in the worst-affected areas.

The tragedy in Cheongju involved vehicles becoming trapped in the Osong underground tunnel when a flash flood inundated the area after a riverbank broke. The search and rescue efforts, involving around 900 responders, including divers, have been ongoing in the 685-meter-long tunnel, which filled with water rapidly.

Residents and families of the victims have criticized local authorities, accusing them of a "man-made disaster" for not preemptively closing the tunnel despite a flood warning issued four hours before the accident. The North Chungcheong provincial government defended their actions, stating that their emergency response manual did not require immediate closure of the tunnel under the conditions at that time.

President Yoon attributed the situation to the failure of local authorities to follow disaster response rules and inadequate preparation in vulnerable areas. The heavy rain has affected central and southern regions of South Korea, with nine people reported missing, 34 injured, and thousands evacuated. The rains have caused damage to numerous homes and roads.

As the annual rainy season reaches its peak, the Korea Meteorological Administration has warned of the possibility of further heavy rainfall in central and southern parts of the country. The ongoing rainfall poses significant challenges to rescue and recovery efforts in the affected areas.