Heavy rain pounds southern Korea before shifting northward in afternoon
Areas in the southwest received over 150 millimeters (6 inches) of rain since the deluge started over the weekend, with showers expected to continue into Tuesday.
Visitors walk with umbrellas at Hwaseong Haenggung Palace in Suwon, Gyeonggi, on Aug. 31.NEWS1
Rain is forecast across Korea on Monday, with torrential downpours hitting the coast along the southwestern region in the morning before the heaviest rain shifts toward the Chungcheong region, southern Gyeonggi and southern Gangwon in the afternoon.
Heavy rain fell mainly in Gwangju and western North Jeolla on Monday morning, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said.
Nakwol Island in Yeonggwang County, South Jeolla, received 68.5 millimeters (2.7 inches) of rain in just one hour from 7 a.m. Heavy rain warnings were issued for Yeonggwang County and Shinan County in South Jeolla and Gochang County, Jeongeup and Buan County in North Jeolla. Heavy rain advisories were in effect across South Chungcheong, as well as Daejeon, Sejong and parts of North Jeolla.
Areas where rain has continued since the weekend have already recorded high cumulative rainfall. From Sunday through 8 a.m. Monday, Boseong County in South Jeolla received 177 millimeters of rain, Gochang County 176 millimeters and Buan County 172.7 millimeters. Nakwol Island recorded 539 millimeters over the same period.
As a stationary front moves northward, heavy rain of 20 to 30 millimeters per hour is forecast in South and North Chungcheong provinces, southern Gyeonggi and inland and mountainous areas of southern Gangwon in the afternoon. Some areas could also see gusty winds, thunder and lightning.
From Monday through Tuesday, Daejeon, Sejong and South Chungcheong are forecast to receive 80 to 150 millimeters of rain, with more than 200 millimeters possible in some areas. Parts of North Chungcheong could receive more than 150 millimeters, while southern Gyeonggi and inland and mountainous areas of southern Gangwon could see more than 120 millimeters. The KMA's rainfall forecasts are cumulative totals beginning at 12 a.m. on Monday and include rain that had already fallen by Monday morning.
A resident clears a drain in a flooded alley in Suseong District, Daegu, on Aug. 30.NEWS1
Rain is forecast to end in most of southern Korea and on Jeju Island by Monday night. In central Korea, rain will continue into Tuesday morning, with showers lingering until daytime in eastern Gyeonggi and until late afternoon in Gangwon. Because the rain bands are narrow, rainfall totals could vary widely even within the same area, and downpours could potentially ease temporarily before intensifying again.
The rain is being driven by a stationary front formed where relatively cool air north of Korea meets hot, humid air from the south. The KMA had initially forecast the heaviest rain to be concentrated in central Korea early Monday.
However, a strong influx of hot, humid air toward the coast of the southwestern region caused rain clouds to develop farther south than initially forecast. The stationary front will move northward in the afternoon, which will bring another round of heavy rain mainly to central Korea, according to the KMA.
The rain that has continued since the weekend has also caused damage across the country. Fire authorities had responded to 432 incidents involving flooded homes and roads, fallen trees and other rain-related damage as of 6 a.m. Monday, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.
No casualties have been reported so far, but residents in some areas have evacuated to community centers.
People walk with umbrellas in Paldal District, Suwon, Gyeonggi, on Aug. 31.NEWS1
Access has been restricted to 412 sections of 10 national parks, including Mount Naejang, Mount Deogyu and Mount Mudeung, while 2,974 hazardous locations, including riverside areas and parking lots on flood plains, have also been closed.
Southern areas that have already received substantial rainfall face risks of landslides, soil runoff and retaining wall collapses. In central Korea, where the heaviest rain is forecast for the afternoon, authorities warned of possible flooding in low-lying areas and underpasses as well as overflowing rivers.
Parts of southern Korea and Jeju Island will remain hot and humid during breaks in the rain, with the maximum apparent temperature reaching around 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit). Daytime highs on Monday are forecast to range from 24 to 34 degrees Celsius.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
