Concerns Over Additional Deaths and Missing Persons Nationwide Due to Heavy Rain... 1,060 Rescued and Evacuated

486 Households and 818 Disaster Victims, 2800ha of Farmland Flooded
Roads and Railways Partially Closed

Heavy rain centered in the central region has caused the water level of the Jungnangcheon River to rise, as seen from Wolgye 1-gyo Bridge in Nowon-gu, Seoul on the 3rd. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] Since the end of last month, a "water bomb" has been pouring down mainly in the central region for three consecutive days, causing damage across the country. Following the deaths of more than ten people due to the summer monsoon rains, the number of missing persons is also increasing, raising concerns about additional casualties.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) on the 3rd, a residential prefabricated panel building collapsed at a poultry farm in Anseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, killing Choi (58) the previous morning. On the same day, at a camping site in Jecheon, Chungbuk, Hong (42) lost his life after being buried by a landslide, and in Chungju, Yoon (76, female) and Park (56, female) died after being buried by a landslide. Firefighter Song (30), who was involved in rescue operations at the scene, went missing. In Gamgok, Eumseong, Chungbuk, Kim (63) died after slipping into a rapid current, and the day before, in Seoul, Im (83) was swept away and died as Dorimcheon overflowed.

Missing persons are also increasing. Around 12:10 p.m. the previous day in Danyang, Chungbuk, Kim (72, female), who was creating a waterway in a field drainage ditch, was swept away by a rapid current, and her daughter (47) and son-in-law tried to rescue her, resulting in three family members going missing together. On the same day, Kim (63) was swept away by a rapid current at a fishing spot in Sancheok, Chungju, Chungbuk, and Lee (75), who lives in a nearby village, was reported missing after going to a neighbor's house and not returning. In Eumseong, Chungbuk, Kim (63, female) went missing as a nearby stream near the Ohyang 6-ri village hall overflowed, and in Goesan, Chungbuk, three people operating kayaks capsized; two were rescued, but Kim (58) was never found.

On the 3rd, when a heavy rain warning was issued for the central region, members of the Hangang Water Rescue Team were busy moving around at Yeouido Hangang in Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

On the same day in Pocheon, Gyeonggi-do, the owner of a fishing spot went out by boat to open a floodgate and has been out of contact since. Also, the previous afternoon, a 50-ton patrol boat belonging to the Pyeongtaek Coast Guard ran aground on a reef off Daenanji-do, Seokmun-myeon, Dangjin-si, Chungnam, and was rescued after 9 hours. In addition, six people were confirmed injured over the past weekend, including Song grandmother (80) and Kim (11), who were moved to a nearby hospital after a landslide buried a house in Hoengseong, Gangwon-do.

As of 6 a.m. that day, the number of disaster victims increased to 486 households and 818 people, with 190 houses, 2,793 vinyl greenhouses, and 2,800 hectares of farmland submerged or damaged, causing continuous facility damage.

Roads and railways are still being controlled in many places. The eastern arterial road in Seoul has been completely inaccessible since 5:05 a.m. that day, and access to Jeungsan Bridge in Bukgajwa-dong, Seoul, was also restricted around the same time. The Jamsu Bridge in Seoul has been closed since the previous day. Eight roads in Dongducheon and Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi-do, are blocked, and five railway lines including the Chungbuk Line, Taebaek Line, and Jungang Line are not operating. Seven frequently flooded underground roads in Gyeonggi, Chungbuk, and Gyeongbuk, and 78 riverside parking lots in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Gangwon, and Chungbuk are also closed. Additionally, 252 hiking trails in 10 national parks including Bukhansan, Taebaeksan, and Songnisan remain closed.

Through rescue activities by the fire department, a total of 1,060 people have been rescued or evacuated. The fire department has carried out 1,329 safety measures including clearing houses and roads, and provided 497 cases of water pumping and drainage support.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.