More bodies found

A LOCAL official said yesterday that search and rescue teams had found three more passenger bodies who were very likely to be the victims killed in an accident of a tourist boat off the coast of Thai island of Phuket last Thursday.

Phuket Provincial Governor Norraphat Plodthong told a press conference that Thai and Chinese officials had confirmed that among the original 10 missing, five passengers were actually safe, and three of them had gone back to China.

According to the governor, if the three newly found bodies are confirmed to be passengers of the boat “Phoenix,” then the accident has left 45 dead and two passengers missing so far. Forty-two of the dead have been confirmed to be Chinese.

Japan floods kill 126

RESCUERS in western Japan dug through mud and rubble early yesterday, racing to find survivors after torrential rain that began last week unleashed floods and landslides that killed up to 130 people, with dozens missing.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe canceled an overseas trip to deal with Japan’s worst flood disaster since 1982, with several million people forced from their homes.

War drill scrapped

SOUTH KOREA said yesterday it has decided to scrap an annual government mobilization drill this year as part of a suspended joint exercise with the United States but will carry out its own drills to maintain readiness.

The ministers of safety and defense made the announcement at a media briefing yesterday. The drill, called the Ulchi exercises, usually takes place every August in tandem with the joint Freedom Guardian military drill.