Heavy Rainfall of 55mm per Hour Causes Widespread Damage in Gyeongnam... Water Bombs Including 341.3mm in Namhae

Flooded passageway in Geomsan Village, Miryang.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Sang-hyun] In Gyeongnam, which has come under the influence of the monsoon front, heavy rain reaching up to 55mm per hour fell, leading to continued damage reports.

According to the Gyeongnam·Changwon Fire Headquarters on the 6th, as of 4 p.m. that day, a total of 67 reports related to rain damage were received.

Most of the reports involved drainage support and safety measures due to flooding of houses and roads, soil inflow, and fallen trees and fences. There was one case of a life rescue: at around 9:20 a.m., a monk in his 60s was trapped at a temple on Baegwolsan Mountain in Changwon.

He judged that it was difficult to escape alone due to soil washed by rainwater and was rescued with the help of the ambulance team dispatched to the scene.

At 7:56 a.m. that day, a single-car slip accident occurred on a rainy road near the Gwangjae Interchange on the Busan Circular Outer Expressway, but there were no casualties.

Due to the heavy rain in a short time, flooding occurred repeatedly in houses and commercial buildings. At around 4:49 a.m., a house in Myeongseok-myeon, Jinju was flooded, and at around 6 a.m., a house in Seosang-dong, Gimhae was flooded.

In addition, houses were flooded in Haman, Hadong, Miryang, and Namhae, where fire personnel supported drainage. At 6:57 a.m. in Chilseo-myeon, Haman, a factory was flooded, and around the same time, rainwater entered the basement of a hotel in Pyeongsan-dong, Yangsan.

In Changwon, at around 1:09 p.m., a senior citizens' center was flooded, and fire personnel dispatched to the scene carried out drainage work of about 10 tons. Damage continued with water accumulating on roads, vehicles stranded, and trees falling.

At 6:43 a.m. and 6:55 a.m. in Gimhae, vehicles were stranded one after another, and fire personnel took safety measures. The drivers had already exited the vehicles, so there were no casualties.

At around 11:14 a.m., in Geumsan-myeon, Jinju, a Mercedes-Benz vehicle could not leave a flooded road and was submerged in rainwater. At around 7:26 a.m., in Geumnam-myeon, Hadong, a retaining wall collapsed due to the water current.

In Miryang, Jinju, and Changwon, reports were received of trees falling on roads due to rain and wind. In addition, three places in the province were submerged, and two slopes were eroded, confirming facility damage. Crops covering 43.8 hectares, including 43.5 hectares of rice, 0.2 hectares of chili peppers, and 0.1 hectares of melons, were also submerged.

So far, no casualties due to the heavy rain have been confirmed.

According to the Changwon Meteorological Office, the cumulative rainfall in the Gyeongnam area from the 5th to 4 p.m. on this day recorded 341.3mm in Namhae, 285.5mm in Sacheon Samcheonpo, 285mm in Goseong, 242mm in Sangju-myeon, Namhae, and 240.5mm in Hadong.

Currently, heavy rain warnings are in effect for 16 cities and counties except for Hamyang and Geochang. The strong wind advisory issued for Geoje was lifted at noon that day.

The Gyeongnam Province has restricted residents' access to underground passages and riverside walking paths where flooding is expected. In addition, 236 drainage pump stations are operating in 14 cities and counties.

Jirisan National Park has completely restricted access to all hiking trails since 7 p.m. the previous day. The expected rainfall for the day is over 200mm on the southern coast and 50 to 150mm in other areas.

The Changwon Meteorological Office urged, "Since the ground is weakened, damage from the rain to come is a concern, so thorough preparation is necessary, and special caution should be taken during outdoor activities when heavy rain falls."

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