SEOUL – Heavy rains that hit parts of southern South Korea overnight flooded houses and farmlands, and disrupted power supply and train services, leaving one dead and forcing 47 people to evacuate, said authorities today.
The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters said the downpour swept away a woman in her 60s in the southwestern county of Haenam this morning.
She was found dead from drowning, reported the Yonhap news agency.
In the nearby counties of Gangjin and Jindo, 47 residents are seeking shelter at community centres and gymnasiums.
In the region, eight houses and 35 shops are underwater, and farmlands spanning 18ha are submerged.
In South Jeolla province’s Gwangyang, a landslide washed away two houses and destroyed another two. A rescue operation is under way for a resident trapped under rubble.
The city recorded 201.5mm of rainfall as at 7am.
Heavy rains destroyed roads in the province’s Goheung, and knocked down trees in Daegu and some parts of North Chungcheong province, disrupting traffic.
A total of 12 roads were closed in South Jeolla, Busan and Gwangju for fear of landslides and flooding.
The downpour disrupted five train services, including the Suncheon-Iksan and Mokpo-Suncheon routes.
Twenty-two ferries on 12 routes, including the Yeosu-Geomun service, were grounded.
Authorities raised the alert level by one notch at 4am after some areas saw over 300mm of rainfall, with more expected.
The weather agency said rain is expected to continue in the region and on the southern resort island of Jeju today, with some areas to receive between 50mm and 200mm per hour. – Bernama, July 6, 2021
