Seoul: Torrential rains that slammed South Korea for three days have left four people dead, two missing and more than 5,600 people evacuated, officials said Friday, as weather authorities warned of more downpours across the nation.
Record hourly rains had fallen in some parts of the nation, including South Chungcheong Province and the southwestern city of Gwangju, triggering flash floods and landslides.
So far, most rain-related fatalities have been reported in South Chungcheong Province, according to the government’s disaster response agency.
One person was found in cardiac arrest inside a flooded vehicle on a road in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province. The man was taken to a nearby hospital but died, officials said.
An elderly man in his 80s was found dead in the basement of his home, and a retaining wall collapsed onto a moving vehicle, killing the driver, officials said. Another person was found dead in a stream.
A search was under way to find a missing person in Gwangju after authorities received a report around 10:18 p.m. Thursday that the person had been swept away by river currents near a bridge.
Another person went missing in Gwangju, where over 400 millimeters of torrential rain pounded the region.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung presided over a disaster response meeting and instructed all relevant ministries and authorities to mobilize “every resource available” to prevent damage.
“The state’s foremost duty is to protect the lives and safety of its citizens,” Lee said.
“We will take measures to prevent damage and accidents to the point where it may even seem excessive.”
As of 11 a.m. Friday, 5,661 people from 13 cities and provinces have evacuated their homes due to safety concerns, authorities said.
A total of 499 public and 425 private property damage cases have been reported, including 328 cases of flooded roads and 30 cases of collapsed river embankments.
Two passenger ferry routes were suspended, and train services on seven major lines were partially halted, while a flight in Gwangju was canceled.
A total of 45 blackouts were reported, 36 of which had been restored as of early Friday, while operations were ongoing for the remaining nine.
Meanwhile, 247 schools across the country suspended or curtailed classes, or shifted to online classes.
On Thursday, the government raised the weather-related disaster alert to its highest level, “serious,” in response to the escalating damage caused by the ongoing heavy rainfall.
The headquarters also activated the highest stage of its emergency response system, mobilizing all relevant government ministries and agencies for full-scale disaster response, Yonhap news agency reported.
The Korea Meteorological Administration forecast an additional 100 to 200 mm of rain from Thursday to Friday for the southern cities of Gwangju, Busan and Ulsan, with some areas expected to receive more than 300 mm. Around 50 to 150 mm of rain were forecast for the central Chungcheong area and North Jeolla Province, as well as Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province.
(IANS)
