South Korea Braces for More Heavy Rain After Overnight Downpours Cause Flooding and Evacuations
Heavy monsoon rains have lashed central South Korea, causing flooding, road closures, and the temporary evacuation of hundreds of residents, while authorities warn that more downpours are on the way. According to reports from Yonhap News Agency, the rains have already triggered a series of emergency measures and response efforts across the affected regions.
In Seoul, heavy rains battered the city overnight, prompting flood warnings and advisories for several wards and leading to the closure of the Dongbu Expressway, a key road running along the Jungnang Stream in the eastern part of the capital. The Seoul city government said it had received 120 reports of rain-related damage and declared a Level 2 emergency response as of 3:40 a.m. Officials said the city government plans to maintain an emergency response system and respond thoroughly to any further damage caused by the torrential downpours.
Across the Seoul metropolitan area and the eastern province of Gangwon, nearly 200 millimeters of rain fell between midnight and 10 a.m., with Paju receiving 192.5 mm, Dongducheon 189.5 mm, Pocheon 179 mm, Gimpo 166.5 mm, and Cheorwon 159.5 mm. As of 11 a.m., heavy rain alerts remained in place for 10 Gangwon Province regions and a mudslide warning for Pocheon. Authorities received reports of 148 cases of flooded homes and roads and 392 cases of fallen trees and other debris. Despite the downpours, no human casualties were reported, though 95 people from 44 households in six cities were temporarily evacuated as a precaution. Access to 10 national parks and 275 hiking paths, including those at Mount Bukhan, was closed, while seven ferry routes operating off the west coast were suspended.
Prime Minister Han Seong-sook ordered authorities to swiftly mobilize equipment and personnel to reduce inconveniences caused by the heavy rains. “Fortunately, there were no human casualties, but homes and roads were flooded, and individuals suffered property damage,” she said during an emergency response meeting. “I extend my condolences to all those affected.” She also requested officials to be prepared for potential landslides, especially in the central province of Chungcheong and the northeastern province of Gangwon, as heavy rain is forecast to fall in those regions later at night and early Sunday.
The rains have not been limited to the capital. In the central regions, heavy monsoon rains pounded areas including South and North Chungcheong Province, damaging more than 200 facilities and forcing over 600 people to leave their homes, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters. As of 5 p.m., the downpours had damaged 256 facilities and prompted 662 people to temporarily evacuate, with 621 taking shelter at town halls and senior centers. The central city of Cheonan received 266.6 millimeters of rain from Wednesday through 5 p.m., while nearby Daejeon recorded 239.5 mm over the period.
A man in his 70s was reported to have been swept away in a stream in Yeongju in the southeastern province of North Gyeongsang, prompting rescue authorities to carry out search operations. Separately, the severe weather also led to five landslides in areas including North Chungcheong Province and the eastern province of Gangwon, though no casualties were reported in those incidents.
Looking ahead, heavy rainfall is forecast to hit central parts of the country starting early Saturday, with hourly precipitation of 30-50 millimeters and rainfall intensity reaching up to 80 mm per hour in some areas, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. In response, Prime Minister Han Seong-sook ordered government agencies to maintain emergency readiness and take all necessary measures to ensure public safety. She instructed relevant authorities to strengthen safety measures and review evacuation systems, warning that recent rainfall heightens the risk of landslides, rockfalls, retaining wall collapses and other accidents. “The areas that suffered flooding during previous heavy rain should undergo emergency inspections to ensure they are not hit again, and all necessary measures should be taken to secure public safety,” Han said.
Earlier, Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung convened a meeting with relevant agencies and ordered the preemptive activation of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters. He instructed the dispatch of on-site situation managers to nine cities and provinces expected to be affected by the heavy rain and called for thorough preventive measures, including access restrictions and evacuations in areas vulnerable to flooding and landslides. The minister also ordered local governments and related agencies to inspect drainage facilities and swiftly disseminate disaster information through emergency text alerts and local broadcasting systems.
Han also called for preemptive safety measures for tourists and campers, noting that the expected downpours coincide with the summer vacation season and a holiday period. Noting that overnight rainfall could make timely evacuations difficult, she ordered local governments to promptly issue evacuation guidance through emergency text alerts and local broadcasting systems when heavy rain or landslide warnings are issued.
Heavy rain is forecast to continue through Sunday, with rainfall intensity reaching up to 300 mm per hour in some areas, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.