Six killed as typhoon lashes South Korea

At least six people were killed and several others missing after Typhoon Mitag lashed South Korea with heavy rain and strong winds, authorities said Thursday.

The storm hit southern parts of the country on Wednesday night, prompting flood warnings and triggering landslides in affected areas.

A woman in her 70s died after she was swept away by strong winds in the southeastern city of Pohang while another woman was killed after heavy rain caused her house to collapse as she slept, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said.

A total of six people were killed across the country but the toll was expected to rise with several people missing.

In the southern port city of Busan -- one of the hardest hit areas -- around 600 rescue workers were trying to locate four people believed to be trapped beneath a landslide.

"An enormous amount of sand and earth slid down several hundred metres and instantly buried a house and a restaurant," said a witness quoted by Yonhap news agency. More than 100 homes were flooded and over 1,500 families evacuated their houses in advance, the ministry said.

Mitag is the 18th typhoon this year and seventh to hit the Korean peninsula.