Typhoon toll 115, rising

Press, 28 August 1979, Page 9

Typhoon toll 115, rising

NZPA-Reuter Seoul The official death toll in South Korea attributed to Typhoon Judy rose to 115 yesterday as the Government declared a state of mobilisation after what was the country’s second killer storm in 10 days. The known number of deaths was expected to increase further. The latest official tabulation also put the toll at 27 missing and about 35,000 homeless. Up to 50cm of rain fell at the week-end along the southern coast. The typhoon, originally located south of Shanghai, was heading towards mainland China on Saturday when it suddenly veered

north-east and skirted the South Korean coast before it faded away in the Korea Strait. Hardest hit were the naval base of Chinhae near the port of Pusan and Chinju further to the west, where landslides killed more than 50 people. Besides private homes and farms flooded, many public buildings including schools were destroyed, and highways and railways damaged along the southern coast. The National Disaster Control Centre said the death and property damage figures would rise when communication, knocked out of service in many of the rural districts, was restored. South Korea was hit 11

days ago by Typhoon Irving, which killed ten people and destroyed about S2OM worth of property. Soldiers, policemen, students, and Civil Defence Corps members were mobilised in four southern provinces to help in rescue and relief work. Relief goods were rushed to the affected areas, and rice and other daily necessities were distributed to flood victims by provincial governments. The Government decided ito lend up to $7770 as funeral expenses for each person killed. The Government has also decided to exempt flood victims from taxes and give them other incentives.