 |
| People head to work in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, amid Friday's downpour. Heavy rain is forecast in Seoul and central parts of the country this weekend. / Yonhap |
By Kim Rahn
Up to 300 millimeters of rain is forecast this weekend in central parts of the country including Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said Friday.
The weather agency issued heavy rain alerts for Seoul, Incheon, and many parts of Gyeonggi, Gangwon and South Chungcheong provinces on Friday as up to 40 millimeters of rain an hour hit the regions.
It was this year's first heavy rain alert for Seoul.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety sent disaster warning text messages to people in the regions, telling them to avoid outdoor activities and evacuate places where there was a possibility of landslides or flooding.
In Incheon, heavy fog also prevented ferry operations to five islands.
"The torrential rain with thunder, lightning and wind subsided on Friday afternoon, but rain will continue until Sunday in almost all parts of the country, especially the central parts," a KMA official said.
"We advise people to pay extra attention to possible damage such as landslides, the collapse of embankments or flooding. Also, the water in valleys and streams can swell rapidly in a short time and overflow, so campers are advised to move to safer places. Cars parked near streams need to be moved to somewhere else."
![[INTERVIEW] Hip-hop group Uptown returns after 13 years with new lineup](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/0eae35da5e9c40c38cf439e550a2eb3e.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] ASTRO members aim to shine in musical theater](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/df16760dc50f469d93434f66a069465c.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
