Landslide kills 1 in Geoje as torrential rain batters southern Korea

Mud and debris from a landslide fill the interior of an apartment building in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, damaging furniture and other facilities, Monday. Yonhap

Torrential rain battered Korea's southern regions during the three-day National Liberation Day long weekend, triggering landslides, flooding and widespread damage.

Geoje Island in South Gyeongsang Province was among the hardest-hit areas, recording 815.5 millimeters of rain from 9 a.m. Saturday through 11 a.m. Monday. The region had until recently been grappling with a prolonged and severe drought.

The torrential rain left one person dead and four others injured, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Monday.

At around 4:42 a.m., a landslide struck the first floor of an apartment building in the city, killing one resident. Two others were rescued and are being treated for injuries.

Rescue operations were also underway as of Monday afternoon for more than 20 residents stranded by flooding in parts of Geoje, including Hoejin Village, and about 100 residents of Yesol Village were being evacuated due to concern over possible landslides.

According to the National Fire Agency, 154 Geoje residents had been rescued or were being evacuated as of 4:30 a.m.

More than 20 emergency calls requesting rescue were made to the 119 emergency service line between Sunday night and early Monday as residents became trapped in homes and vehicles across the city.

Widespread flooding has also complicated rescue operations, with overflowing rivers and submerged roads forcing closures across the island and making it difficult for emergency crews to reach affected areas.

A road is submerged in muddy floodwaters following torrential rain in Geoje, South Gyeongsang, Monday. Yonhap

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, South Gyeongsang Province's coastal areas saw exceptionally heavy rainfall from Saturday through Monday. As of 11 a.m., Tongyeong received 686.1 millimeters, Sacheon 379 millimeters and Namhae 291.1 millimeters.

Rainfall was especially intense in Geoje, reaching as high as 124.5 millimeters an hour at 1:32 a.m., the highest recorded in the city since 1972. As of 10 a.m., Geoje had recorded 539.3 millimeters of precipitation for the day, marking the highest daily rainfall on record in the city.

Across Busan and South Gyeongsang Province, authorities received 603 reports of rain-related damage, including flooded homes and blocked or damaged roads.

The extent of the damage ws expected to grow as rainfall continues.

With damage from heavy rains mounting, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters activated a Level 1 emergency response and stepped up efforts to deal with the aftermath.

“We will make every effort to protect lives until the rain subsides and recovery efforts are completed,” Interior and Safety Minister Yun Ho-jung said, urging the public to closely monitor safety alerts, stay away from high-risk areas and follow authorities’ safety instructions.