Despite Heavy Rain, the Shadow of the 'Seoul Gonghwaguk'... "Local Monitoring Is Neglected"

US NYT, CNN Provide Detailed Coverage of Domestic Heavy Rain
"Korea Shows Recent Concentration of Heavy Rain in Major Cities like Seoul
Regional Monitoring Was Relatively Weak," Analysis

As nationwide heavy rains have caused casualties, major foreign media also reported in detail on the damage situation in Korea.

On the 16th (local time), the New York Times (NYT) reported, "The death toll from recent heavy rains and floods in Korea has reached at least 37," adding, "Korea is in a chaotic situation due to an extreme monsoon season."

The NYT also provided a detailed explanation of Korea's summer climate. The outlet stated, "Many regions in Korea experience monsoon rains in summer and are vulnerable to landslides due to mountainous terrain," but added, "The number of casualties reported this summer is much higher than usual."

The media pointed to a different monsoon pattern as the reason for the unusually severe damage.

The NYT noted, "In recent years, rainfall tended to concentrate in urban areas near major cities such as Seoul and Busan," and said, "This time, the rain fell in rural areas like Chungcheong and Jeolla, where monitoring and access to rainfall data are difficult, making these areas relatively more vulnerable."

It added, "Due to climate change, as Korea's temperatures rise, the monsoon rains fall more intensely rather than slowly over a long period," and "This change has made flood preparedness more difficult."

On the same day, the US CNN also reported, "At least 33 people have died due to landslides and floods caused by heavy rains." CNN stated, "The Korean government has deployed 400 rescue workers to search for missing persons."

In particular, CNN provided detailed coverage of the accident at the underground overpass Gungpyeong 2 in Osong, Cheongju, Chungbuk, where 15 vehicles were submerged by suddenly pouring water on the 15th.

The outlet reported, "It is said that water poured into the tunnel (underground overpass) after a nearby embankment in Chungbuk collapsed," and "Rescue teams have been pumping out 80,000 liters (ℓ) of water per minute since the day after the accident."

CNN also pointed out, "Scientists believe that abnormal weather caused by climate change is becoming more frequent, increasing both the frequency and intensity of heavy rains across East Asia." The media mentioned recent heavy rain and flood incidents not only in Korea but also in neighboring countries such as Japan and southwestern China.

According to CNN, emergency warnings were issued in southwestern Japan, including Fukuoka and Oita prefectures in Kyushu, due to heavy rains. Additionally, sudden floods caused by heavy rains in southwestern China resulted in at least 15 deaths in Chongqing.

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