Wind and rains wreak havoc on greater Seoul as roads flood, trees fall

Heavy rain and strong winds battered Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area on Sunday, flooding roads, toppling trees and damaging structures, while severe weather forced dozens of flight cancellations at Incheon International Airport.

A road beneath Jeungsan Bridge in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, was closed to traffic in both directions from 3:04 p.m. after flooding, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government's traffic information system.

Roads near Yeonsinnae Station in Eunpyeong District, northern Seoul, were also flooded, which forced drivers to slow down. Water reportedly rose above knee level in some areas.

Strong winds caused further damage.

A roadside tree in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam District, southern Seoul, was toppled by strong winds, which disrupted vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

Near Sinpo International Market in Jung District, Incheon, a convenience store sign was blown off by strong winds. A church steeple in Cheongna-dong, Seo District, Incheon, also broke off and fell onto a road, blocking three of its four lanes.

At Cheonggye Plaza in central Seoul, event staff had to hold onto the poles of a tent to keep it from being blown away by strong winds.

Flooding also disrupted traffic across the greater Seoul area.

Rainwater rose above ankle level in Goyang, forcing pedestrians to wade through flooded crosswalks. Roads near Yadang Station on the Gyeongui-Jungang Line in Paju were also submerged, with vehicles driving through flowing water.

The flooding appeared to have been worsened by heavy rainfall over a short period, compounded by fallen leaves blocking drains and drainage channels.

As reports of flooding and rain damage poured in, the Seoul Metropolitan Government worked with district offices to clear leaves from storm drains and pump water out of flooded areas.

"The rain appears to be easing, but we are still receiving reports of damage, so our priority is to respond quickly and resolve the problems," a Seoul city official said.

The Grand Mint Festival, a music festival scheduled to take place at Olympic Park in Songpa District, southern Seoul, on Sunday, was canceled because of worsening weather conditions.

"With weather conditions continuing to worsen, we determined that it would be nearly impossible to proceed with the performances as planned," organizer Mintpaper said, adding that all tickets would be fully refunded.

The worsening weather also led to flight cancellations at Incheon International Airport.

A total of 40 flights were canceled at Incheon International Airport on Sunday because of severe weather, according to the Incheon International Airport Corporation.

Of those, 36 were canceled in advance based on weather forecasts, while the remaining four were canceled on the day.

Another 34 flights were delayed and nine were diverted.

Damage was also reported throughout Incheon.

The Incheon Fire Headquarters received 78 reports of rain-related damage between 9 a.m. and 2:10 p.m. Sunday.

At around 1:23 p.m., firefighters responded to a report of a toppled water tank in Michuhol District and took safety measures.

At around 2:48 p.m., emergency services received a report that vehicles were stranded in floodwaters near Wanjeong intersection in Majeon-dong, Geomdan District.

Firefighters dispatched to the scene rescued three people from a vehicle.

The intersection near the entrance to Yedanpo in Yeongjong District and Wanjeong intersection in Majeon-dong were also temporarily flooded.

The heavy rainfall and strong winds were caused by a trough of low pressure accompanied by a low-pressure system that passed over the Korean Peninsula, particularly central Korea, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

A strong wind advisory was issued for Seoul, followed by heavy rain advisories for the city's northeastern, northwestern and southwestern districts.

Strong wind alerts were also issued across the greater Seoul area and along the western coasts of South Chungcheong and the Honam region encompassing Gwangju, North Jeolla and South Jeolla. Heavy rain advisories were issued for some areas.

The KMA forecast rainfall of 30 to 80 millimeters (1.2 to 3.1 inches) across Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi and the five northwestern border islands in the Yellow Sea.

Rain accompanied by gusts, thunder and lightning could continue across the greater Seoul area into Sunday night.

The agency warned that fallen leaves could obstruct drainage in areas experiencing rainfall, potentially causing flooding in low-lying areas or water to back up through sewers and storm drains. It urged the public to avoid flood-prone areas, including riverside walking paths and underpasses, and to take precautions against outdoor structures such as signs and trees falling or collapsing in strong winds.

Temperatures are forecast to drop sharply after the heavy autumn rain passes.

Rain would gradually ease across central Korea starting Monday as cold air moves southward from the northwest, bringing lower temperatures, the KMA said.

Daytime highs are forecast to range from 15 to 22 degrees Celsius (59 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday. Morning lows could fall to zero degrees Celsius in some areas on Thursday and Friday.

Daily temperature swings could exceed 10 degrees Celsius in inland areas. The agency urged people to take precautions against the sharp fluctuations.

BY BAE JAE-SUNG, JEONG HYE-JEONG [[email protected]]