Heavy Rain Warning Expanded...Up to 100mm Expected by Tomorrow in Jungbu and Jeolla Regions

Suddenly, a shower fell near Gangnam Station in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and citizens are walking with umbrellas. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Heavy rain warnings are expanding nationwide, including across the entire Seoul area. Rainfall is expected to exceed 100mm by tomorrow (24th), mainly in the central regions such as the Seoul metropolitan area and the Jeolla region.

On the 23rd, heavy rain warnings were issued for the Seoul metropolitan area, parts of Gangwon, and Chungnam provinces. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) announced that very heavy and intense rain accompanied by gusts, thunder, and lightning is expected, mainly in the central regions and Jeolla area.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety upgraded the CDSCH emergency level from Stage 1 to Stage 2 at 9 p.m. on the 22nd. The crisis alert level remains at the 'Severe' stage. The Korea Meteorological Administration issued a heavy rain advisory for the entire Seoul area at 6 a.m. on the 23rd. In Gyeonggi Province, 27 locations received heavy rain advisories, and at 7 a.m., four more locations including Icheon, Yangpyeong, Yeoju, and Gapyeong were also issued advisories. Incheon has had a heavy rain advisory since the previous day.

In Chungnam, the heavy rain advisory expanded to six locations including Seosan, Dangjin, Hongseong, Seocheon, Boryeong, and Taean. Additionally, heavy rain advisories were issued from 6 a.m. for Cheorwon and Hwacheon in Gangwon Province and Gunsan in Jeonbuk Province. Expected rainfall from today through the 24th is 50-100mm in Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi; 30-80mm in inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon; 30-80mm in Daejeon, Sejong, and Chungcheong; 50-100mm in Gwangju and Jeonnam; 30-100mm in Jeonbuk; 50-100mm in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam; 20-60mm in Daegu and Gyeongbuk; and 30-80mm in Jeju Island. As of 5 a.m. today, cumulative rainfall amounts were 29.6mm in Incheon, 20.0mm in Taean, Chungnam, 167mm in Paju, Gyeonggi, and 6.5mm in Seoul.

Due to expanded damage surveys, facility damages caused by heavy rain since the 9th have increased to nearly 10,000 cases. Private facility damages total 2,746 cases (Chungbuk 1,219, Chungnam 906, Gyeongbuk 276, Jeonbuk 224, Gyeonggi 55, Gyeongnam 41, etc.), and public facility damages total 6,897 cases (Chungbuk 3,077, Gyeongbuk 1,926, Chungnam 1,397, Jeonbuk 249, Sejong 149, etc.).

1,494 houses were flooded and 134 houses were damaged. There were 288 cases of flooding in commercial buildings and factories. Road and bridge damages increased to 1,181 cases, with 821 landslides, 493 river damages, and 728 small stream damages also recorded. Emergency restoration rates are 56% for private facilities and 61% for public facilities.

Since the heavy rain began on the 9th, 47 people have died and 3 remain missing, unchanged since the 21st. As of 6 a.m. today, 1,860 disaster victims remain unable to return home and are staying in temporary shelters or with relatives. More than 18,000 people have evacuated due to the heavy rain.

More than half the area of Seoul, totaling 34,904 hectares of crops, has been submerged, and 356 hectares suffered fruit drop damage. Livestock deaths total 871,000 animals. Currently, 173 roads are closed, along with 641 riverside areas, 134 floodplain parking lots, 219 national park trails, and 54 forest paths.

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