▲ A Marine Corps amphibious assault vehicle is mobilized in a search for missing people in the Sam River in Yecheon, 161 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on July 18, 2023, where about 30 residents were reported to have been killed or gone missing following massive landslides triggered by torrential rain. (Yonhap)
▲ A resident stands on a landslide-ravaged area in the southeastern county of Yecheon on July 17, 2023. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) rain damage-death

(LEAD) Death toll from torrential rains rises to 44 as 3 more bodies recovered

(ATTN: UPDATES headline, lead, throughout with more details; ADDS photo)

SEOUL, July 18 (Yonhap) -- Rescuers recovered Tuesday three additional bodies of people who were swept away by floods caused by recent torrential rains, raising the total confirmed deaths to 44.

Marine Corps rescuers found the body of a woman in her 60s in Yecheon, 161 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in the morning, and a police rescue dog found another woman in her 70s in piles of wood shortly after noon, fire authorities said.

Later in the day, the body of a male victim in his 60s was also found in the same county.

The three were among the nine people who remained missing as of Tuesday morning in the aftermath of the landslides and floods caused by the heavy rains, which have pounded the country since early last week.

Around 5,685 of 13,459 evacuees in 15 cities and provinces still remain in shelters, according to the government.

The operation of the KTX bullet trains has been fully normalized, although some other train services remain disrupted.

The rain has damaged 316,064 hectares of farmland, equivalent to 43,000 football fields.

50 dead or missing in downpours after more bodies recovered from underpass flooding[https://youtu.be/OGpoQe3Jh8Q]

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