SEOUL, 26th September: In its first disaster-response project, Habitat for Humanity Korea recently built 50 wooden homes for flood-affected families with the help of more than 4,000 volunteers.

The families are from Inje and Pyeongchang cities in northeastern Gangwon province. The two cities were among the worst-hit by Typhoon Ewiniar and heavy seasonal rains earlier this summer.

HFH Korea was looking for ways to help flood victims following news of the disaster and when South Korea's Ministry

The newly declared areas include Anseong in Gyeonggi Province; Gangeung, Yeongwol, Hwacheon, and Cheorwon in Gangwon Province; and Jecheon, Danyang, Jincheon, Eumseong and Goesan in North Chungcheong Province.

Under the coordination of the KNRC national head office in Seoul, KNRC local chapters delivered 11,545 relief item sets (including food, blankets, clothes, kitchen sets, etc) to the people affected by disasters. Furthermore, the KNRC launched fundraising campaign to operate relief activities for the victims of the typhoon and floods

They conveyed the money to the National Association for Disaster Relief, which was founded to aid disaster-stricken people in 1961.

"We contributed the money to encourage the flood victims and to ease their suffering," presidential spokesman Jung Tae-ho said.

The staffers also donated money to support victims of the earthquake and tsunami disaster in South Asia in January

The prime minister asked relevant ministers to officially visit the affected areas for a first-hand check to make sure

The rain had claimed 19 lives and left 31 people missing as of 5 p.m. Tuesday. Following the destruction, the government designated 18 cities and counties hit hard by typhoon Ewiniar and heavy seasonal rains, as "special disaster zones" to give further relief.

The Red Cross reported that at least 100 people were either dead or missing in the impoverished North, where a further 9,000 had been left homeless by the rains.

"In some remote areas, whole villages have been swept away and essential public services, such as health care clinics, have been destroyed," Jaap Timmer, the head of North Korean

In the directive, the ministry instructed that acquisition and registration taxes be spared for residents whose houses and other structures destroyed by floods and others affected by the disaster may be allowed to pay later according to the degree of their damages.

Fees will be slashed by half for people

The rain left more than 30 people dead or missing, closing roads and inundating houses.

The disaster authority issued a crisis alert of "Orange" for the downpour in Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces in the morning, and a "Yellow" warning in other parts of the nation.

The colors indicate the seriousness of a disaster: Blue, Yellow, Orange to Red. Red is the most serious. The Orange