1 dead, farms flooded after heavy rains in southern regions

Rescuers search for a 89-year-old man who was swept away by flooded water at a lake in Jangheung County, South Jeolla Province, Sunday. Her body was found later. Yonhap

Heavy rains in southern regions left one dead and resulted in the flooding of farms, roads and houses and damage to cultural heritages, disaster authorities said Sunday.

An 89-year-old man was found dead in a reservoir in Jangheung, South Jeolla Province, after falling into a drainage ditch near his home a day earlier, according to disaster safety officials.

The southwestern region was hit with torrential downpours, with Yeosu receiving up to 400 millimeters and Jangheung, Gangjin and Suncheon experiencing over 300 mm of rainfall since Thursday.

More than 1,030 hectares of farmland in South Jeolla Province were damaged, while 300 tons of grain stored in Jangheung were flooded.

Around 145 houses and roads in South Jeolla Province were submerged, and approximately 60 people were evacuated from a campsite in Hwasun due to landslide concerns near a riverbank.

In Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, a record 428 mm of rainfall over the past two days led to the collapse of a section of the Daeseong-dong Tumuli, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is the first time parts of the tombs have collapsed due to heavy rain. (Yonhap)