The death toll from a rain-triggered landslide in a South Korean mountain resort east of Seoul has risen to 12, local media reported Wednesday.

Rescue workers work at the scene of a landslide in Chuncheon, Gangwon province, South Korea, July 27, 2011. A landslide caused by torrential rain crashed into a South Korean mountain resort east of Seoul early on Wednesday, destroying four buildings, including two small hotels. KOREA OUT (Xinhua/Yonhap)
The landslide, which took place just after midnight near the Soyang River Dam in Chuncheon, destroyed a pension and three homes.

Some 44 people, including eight tourists and one local resident, were staying in the buildings struck by the landslide, Yonhap news agency said.

Most of the victims were college students from Inha University in the western city of Incheon who were in the area for volunteer work.

Photo taken on July 27, 2011 shows the scene of a landslide in Chuncheon, Gangwon province, South Korea. (Xinhua/Yonhap)
Some 26 were injured, some of them seriously, and rescue workers are trying to reach one person believed trapped in the buildings, reports said.

About 700 firefighters and police are carrying out the rescue operation.

Heavy rain also lashed Seoul on Wednesday, resulting in massive traffic jams, cases of watter-logging and landslides in several parts of the city.

 VietNamNet/Xinhuanet