Three deaths reported due to intense rainfall in the central region; numerous people evacuated to safety amidst the downpour
South Korea's capital region and surrounding provinces have been hit by a "once-in-a-century" disaster, as extreme downpours linked to a regional weather system caused severe flooding, infrastructure damage, and evacuations.
The heavy rain began early on August 11, inundating the greater Seoul area and nearby provinces. This led to submerged roads, sinkholes, landslides, and widespread infrastructure damage. The flooding of underpasses forced nearly 1,000 people to evacuate affected areas.
The weather system brought intense rainfall over several days, causing flooding that triggered evacuations and widespread damage. The South Korean government declared the event a "once-in-a-century" disaster due to its unprecedented impact.
As the rain persisted for several days, officials warned of continuing risks of flooding and landslides. Emergency measures were underway, including road closures, disaster response activations, and evacuations to mitigate further damage and casualties.
The forecast at that time indicated the rain would continue for several days, with heavy downpours of 50 to 150 mm expected in the capital region through Thursday. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) reported that the downpour in Incheon was the heaviest recorded this summer.
The heavy rain has been responsible for several casualties. In Gimpo, west of Seoul, a man presumed to be in his 80s was found dead in the back seat of a car after it fell into a river. Three people were killed amid heavy rain in the capital region, and a woman in her 70s was killed in Pocheon, north of Seoul, when a car carrying her rammed into a traffic light on a slippery road. In Incheon, also west of the capital, a driver in his 40s was killed after his car skidded on a slippery road and fell into a lake.
To manage the emergency, the central disaster headquarters raised its emergency response posture to Level 2. In Incheon and Gyeonggi, 26 people were temporarily evacuated from their homes, with one person returning home. Evacuation orders were issued for areas near rivers at risk of flooding in Seoul and parts of Gyeonggi Province.
The heavy rain is forecast to continue through Thursday, with up to 200 mm of rain expected in some areas overnight. Heavy rain alerts were triggered in Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi, Gangwon, and South Chungcheong provinces. Some parts of Gangwon Province are expected to receive up to 150 mm of rain.
This event is part of a broader pattern of severe flooding in Northeast Asia during mid-2021, characterized by catastrophic rainfall events leading to widespread disaster declarations. The affected areas are bracing for more heavy rain and potential flooding in the coming days.
Read also:
- Massive 8.8 earthquake hits off the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, prompting Japan to issue a tsunami alert.
- Court petitions to reverse established decision on same-sex marriage legalization
- Proposed Standardization of Food Labeling Laws Among Member States by the Commission
- Experimenting with Merz's Germany has stretched into an extended period of time, resembling a numerous three-month duration.
