South Korea flood death toll rises to 40, Yoon blames botched responses

FILE PHOTO: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a joint statement with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine July 15, 2023. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday blamed authorities' failure to follow disaster response rules as the death toll from days of torrential rain rose to 40, including a dozen people found dead in a submerged underpass.

Deluges have pummelled central and southern regions since Thursday as the rainy season that started in late June reaches its peak. The interior ministry has also reported nine people missing and 34 injured across the nation.