The country has been witnessing heavy downpours for the past four days.
Rescue workers were still struggling to reach more than ten cars and an unknown number of people trapped in an underground tunnel in Cheongju, North Chungcheong province.
Also, they were trying to drain the tunnel to reach the victims, but the water still appeared to be too deep, frustrating search efforts.
The situation has caused so many to be worried and hopeless about their missing family and relatives.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, held an emergency meeting with his aides on the government’s response while on an overseas trip.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has been ordered to mobilise all available resources to reduce casualties.
The majority of the casualties were from North Gyeongsang province and were largely due to massive landslides in the mountainous area that trapped houses with people inside.
Some of the people who have been reported missing were swept away when a river overflowed in the province and more than 1,500 people have been evacuated from their homes.
The Korea Meteorological Administration forecast more heavy rain during the week and urged the public to stay indoors.
South Korea is regularly hit by flooding during the summer monsoon period, but the country is typically well-prepared and the death toll is usually relatively low.
The country endured record-breaking rains and flooding last year, which left more than eleven people dead.
Last year 2022, flooding was the heaviest rainfall since Seoul weather records began 115 years ago, the extreme weather was caused by climate change.
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