Heavy rain slams Korea's central region, killing one
Downpour amid heat wave: Vehicles are submerged in Ganseok-dong, Incheon, after a torrential downpour and thunderstorms hit the mid-western port city, Sunday. In contrast, thousands of people crowded Haeundae Beach in Busan, which is about 400 kilometers away from the rain-affected area. / Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
Heavy rain and thunderstorms pounded the country’s central region Sunday, killing at least one person.
According to Incheon Fire Department, a 95-year-old man was found dead at 9:54 a.m. after a torrential downpour hit the city early in the morning.
His body was found floating in his basement room, which was filled with water. Police are investigating the exact cause of his death.
Seven workers were rescued after being trapped at a subway construction site for two hours in Incheon, one of the hardest hit areas.
About 120 people at a campsite in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, were also trapped for hours after rain submerged a bridge.
Rain submerged many cars and roads. Subway operations on the Gyeongin Line also halted from 9:20 a.m. to 9:47 a.m. over safety concerns, according to the Incheon City Government.
Meanwhile, rain damaged many houses, streets and traffic lights. The city government said it has already received hundreds of damage reports.
The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) issued heavy rain warnings in 18 regions. It said Seoul and Goyang had 133.5mm and 155.5mm of rain, respectively, while neighboring Uiwang and Siheung had about 130 mm.
Heavy downpours accompanied by thunder and lightning also led to blackouts in dozens of areas, according to the Korea Electric Power Corp.
The KMA lifted most of the warnings by late afternoon.
Yet many remain concerned as more rains are expected through the middle of this week.
The country’s southern region has already been slammed by downpours that caused deadly landslides and flooding.
Last week, heavy rain hit Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, killing seven people and damaging infrastructure.
According to the provincial government, total property damage has been estimated at 63.3 billion won ($56.6 million).