Korean Man Drowns Inside Flooded Elevator While Begging For Help

Heavy rain continues to wreak havoc in the country.

A Korean man tragically lost his life inside a flooded elevator in an office building’s basement in Nonsan.

flooded building 2

Reports from Yonhap News and other sources on June 10 indicate that the disaster occurred at around 3 a.m. in the second basement level of the office building. The fire department received a distress call from the man, who was trapped in the elevator, desperately pleading for help.

firefighters rescuing
Rescue efforts across South Korea. | SBS

Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene and began pumping water from the building, which had flooded up to the first basement level. Despite their efforts, they only found the man’s body inside the elevator.

A fire department official informed MBC News that the extensive flooding up to the first basement level significantly hampered the drainage efforts, making the rescue operation extremely difficult.

nonsan city drainage
Drainage work. | Nonsan City

Currently, police and fire authorities are working to identify the victim and determine the precise circumstances leading to this tragic accident.

Meanwhile, South Korea’s central regions, particularly where this incident took place, have been experiencing severe weather. Torrential rains exceeding 70mm per hour overnight have caused extensive damage and disruptions. In some cases—like today’s —they have even caused deaths.

Heavy rains in South Korea, photo for illustrative purposes only. | CNN

President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is visiting the U.S. for the NATO summit, has been briefed on the situation. He has directed all available resources to prioritize rescue efforts and damage prevention, emphasizing the importance of saving lives amidst the ongoing heavy rain.

Source: wikitree
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