- विज्ञापन -
Seoul: Heavy rains have caused two fatalities and prompted the evacuation of approximately 1,000 residents across parts of South Korea’s central regions, authorities reported on Thursday. Officials warned that heavy rainfall is likely to continue in the coming days as weather systems move northward.
In response, the government’s disaster management agency has placed the Chungcheong provinces and the southern part of Gyeonggi Province on the second-highest alert level.
On Wednesday, a retaining wall collapsed onto a moving vehicle in Osan, about 52 kilometers south of Seoul, resulting in the driver’s death. Additionally, in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, a man was found in cardiac arrest inside a flooded vehicle early Thursday morning and subsequently died after being taken to a nearby hospital.
There were two minor injuries, including cases of hypothermia, reported in Seosan and Buyeo. Weather officials noted that since Wednesday evening, Seosan has received up to 344 mm of rain, making it the most affected area. Notably, between 1:46 a.m. and 2:46 a.m., Seosan experienced 114.9 mm of rain within just one hour— the highest hourly rainfall recorded there for July since 1968.
Heavy rainfall also triggered a landslide in Cheongyang, South Chungcheong Province, trapping two residents temporarily. They were rescued and taken to hospital, with injuries to their legs but no life-threatening conditions. Furthermore, in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, 67.4 mm of rain fell in one hour, marking the second-highest hourly rainfall for July in that region.
As of early Thursday, 26 emergency text alerts for heavy rain had been issued nationwide, with 25 alerts targeting the Chungcheong area. The Korea Meteorological Administration issues such alerts when hourly rainfall exceeds 50 mm, three-hour cumulative rainfall surpasses 90 mm, or a single hour’s rainfall exceeds 72 mm.
More heavy rain is forecast through Saturday across South Korea. Up to 150 mm is expected in the greater Seoul area and Chungcheong Province, with 30 to 100 mm in North Jeolla Province. Gwangju and South Jeolla Provinces could see between 20 and 80 mm of rain until Friday. The southern regions, including Ulsan and Busan, are also predicted to experience heavy rainfall of 100 to 200 mm starting Friday.
