"Snow Bomb"

11 Adar I 5771

South Korea chaos after 'heaviest' snowfall

The heaviest snowfall in more than a century on South Korea's east coast is causing widespread chaos.

Hundreds of houses have collapsed under the weight of the snow. One newspaper described it as a snow bomb.

The South Korean government has deployed 12,000 soldiers to rescue stranded residents.

The worst weather has been in Gangwon province. Weather experts say there will be more snowfall in the area in the coming hours.

"I am 83 years old. It's the heaviest snow in my life. I am really grateful for the soldiers' help," said Park Chae-ran.

The heaviest fall in a century is leaving a chaos in its wake - and more snow is forecast. The BBC's Nick Ravenscroft in Seoul says that although winters are colder than anywhere else at its latitude, with frequent frost and snow, this year has been different.