Torrential rain batters capital area; expressways, river bridge in Seoul closed
The water level of Dangjin Stream rises dangerously in Dangjin City, South Chungcheong Province, Thursday. Authorities sent evacuation messages to local residents. Yonhap
Torrential downpours pelted the broader Seoul area and adjacent regions Thursday, leading to the evacuation of residents due to swollen streams and the closure of highways, a bridge in Seoul and nearby subway services.
Northern and southern areas of Gyeonggi Province surrounding Seoul were among the hardest hit, including Pyeongtaek, about 60 kilometers south of Seoul, which recorded hourly precipitation of 88.5 millimeters at one point Thursday morning.
Paju, near the inter-Korean border, received hourly precipitation of 75.1 millimeters at one point early Thursday morning.
The accumulated rain in the Paju areas from midnight to 6 a.m. reached as much as 143.5 millimeters, leading to the suspension of subway services in the areas through the morning rush hour, including Line 1.
Paju reported accumulated rain of over 633 millimeters from Tuesday to late Thursday morning, while the nearby border county of Yeoncheon had 477.5 millimeters.
The capital region has experienced hourly precipitation between 30 millimeters and 60 millimeters, prompting flood alerts for 10 streams in the broader Seoul area.
As of 5 a.m., the government said that a total of 887 residents from eight cities and provinces across the nation had been evacuated in the aftermath of the latest downpours.
A local stream is flooded in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. Yonhap
Authorities also issued immediate evacuation orders to some residents of Osan and Pyeongtaek, both in Gyeonggi Province, and Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, due to swollen streams in the areas.
In Hwaseong, 45 km south of Seoul, torrential rain caused a surge of water, flooding factories in an industrial complex, while dozens of vehicles were submerged on roads and a parking lot in the city and nearby Pyeongtaek.
In Seoul, both directions of the Dongbu Expressway linking the city to Gyeonggi were entirely suspended due to heavy rain, while sections of the Naebu Expressway forming an outer ring around the city were also briefly closed before going back in service later in the day.
Both pedestrian and vehicle traffic were suspended on the submersible, double-decker Jamsu Bridge as heavy rainfall raised the water level of the Han River.
The entrances to 29 streams and four riverside parking lots in central Seoul were also blocked due to safety concerns.
Landslide warnings were also issued across three wards in Seoul, including Jongno, where heavy rain brought down an embankment in a residential area.
Downpours also led to the cancellation of 25 international flights departing from Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, from midnight through 8 a.m., while four others were forced to return after takeoff.
In the capital, the northern district of Nowon received the most rain, with an accumulation of 197 millimeters recorded from Tuesday to early Thursday morning.
The northeastern district of Seongbuk was hit with hourly precipitation of 84 millimeters at one point the previous day.
No casualties have been reported from the latest bout of torrential rain, but a wave of rain damage cases were reported across the capital, including fallen trees along streets, flooded homes and traffic accidents caused by slippery roads.
The Korea Forest Service also raised its landslide alerts to the highest level of "serious" for Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi and Gangwon as of 7:30 a.m., advising people to evacuate promptly to safety in case of emergency.
Interior Minister Lee Sang-min ordered the mobilization of all possible personnel and resources to minimize rain damage as the ministry raised its readiness posture from "caution" to "vigilance."
The weather agency forecast that the country's central regions may experience further rain of up to 150 millimeters through Friday. (Yonhap)
A police vehicle blocks an entrance to Dongbu Expressway amid torrential rain in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap