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Homes flooded, bridges closed and towns plunged into darkness after torrential rains

Published: 23 Jul. 2024, 11:28 Updated: 23 Jul. 2024, 19:12

WOO JI-WON
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Police block vehicles from entering Jamsu Bridge in Seocho District, southern Seoul, due to the overflowing Han River on Tuesday. [NEWS1]

The nation faced blackouts, flooded homes, stranded cars and blocked expressways as torrential rain and strong winds battered the country Tuesday.

Short but intense rain showers hammered the greater Seoul area overnight Tuesday, dumping up to 66 millimeters (2.6 inches) of rain per hour, leading to road closures and power outages.

The Seoul Jamsu Bridge, a submersible bridge across the Han River, and a section of Olympic-daero, Seoul's eight-lane highway, were closed as of 9:37 a.m. and 9:50 a.m., respectively, due to swollen water levels in the Han River.

Both road closures had been lifted before noon Tuesday.

The closures followed heavy downpours early Tuesday morning, with rainfall rates of around 30 millimeters per hour, which triggered an increased water discharge from Paldang Dam, according to a Seoul Metropolitan Government official.

About 3,179 tons of water per second was being discharged into the Han River, the official said.

At 8:42 a.m., pedestrian access to the Jamsu Bridge was blocked as the water level of the Han River surpassed 5.50 meters.

From midnight to 7 a.m. on Tuesday, some areas in Gyeonggi experienced over 100 millimeters of rainfall, with Pocheon receiving 147.5 millimeters and Dongducheon 124.5 millimeters.

Fire authorities remove a fallen tree from an intersection in Gapeyong, Gyeonggi, on Tuesay morning. [NEWS1]

The downpour was mainly concentrated in southern Gyeonggi, including a maximum rainfall of 66.0 millimeters per hour in Pocheon, 55.5 millimeters in Paju and 47.0 millimeters in Dongducheon.

As of 10 a.m. Tuesday, no casualties from the torrential downpour had been reported.

Gyeonggi firefighting authorities said 75 pieces of equipment and 298 personnel were mobilized from 5 p.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday, carrying out 74 activities, including drainage and removal of fallen trees and debris.

At 3 a.m., authorities drained a road near Kia Bridge in Majang-myeon, Icheon, where an 80-meter-long section was submerged.

In Namyangju, a power outage affected 20 households in the Deunggyewon area at 1 a.m. after a tree fell due to strong winds. The power was later restored.

The provincial government reported 94 instances of minor damage as of 7 a.m. Tuesday, including nine flooded houses, 61 road obstructions and 10 flooded parking lots.

Following the heavy rain, entrance to five roads, 1,425 riverside trails, 31 waterside parking lots, 24 bridges, 82 valleys, amusement parks, hiking trails and 53 fishing spots were closed in the province as of 5 a.m.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters activated the province's lowest emergency response level. As of 4 a.m. Tuesday, heavy rain advisories were issued for eight cities and counties in the province, including Osan, Pyeongtaek, Yongin, Icheon, Anseong, Yeoju, Gwangju and Yangpyeong.

The advisories were lifted as of 10:40 a.m. Tuesday.

Heavy rain damage was also reported in Gangwon, where torrential rain battered inland and mountainous areas.

At 11:14 p.m. Monday, a driver was rescued from a submerged car on a road in Cheorwon County, according to Gangwon State Fire Headquarters.

The county received 126 millimeters of rain overnight Tuesday.

Numerous blackouts were reported in Chuncheon, plunging 408 households in Dangnim-ri into darkness, although power was mostly restored by Tuesday noon. Additionally, 992 households in Sindong-myeon and Sabuk-myeon were without power for about three and a half hours starting from 12:20 a.m. Monday.

In Incheon, 58 cases of heavy rainfall damage were reported from midnight Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday, according to Incheon Fire Department.

Emergency services personnel carried out drainage operations following flooding in a low-rise apartment building in Michuhol District.

Continuous torrential downpours prompted landslide alerts in some areas.

The Korea Forest Service elevated landslide warnings to the third-highest of its four-tier alert system for Gangwon and South Chungcheong as of 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Earlier, at 9 p.m. Monday, the same alert level was issued for Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi. Other areas remain at a lower warning level.

The downpour is expected to continue overnight, with rainfall in the greater Seoul area forecast to reach 30 to 50 millimeters per hour on Tuesday.

BY WOO JI-WON [[email protected]]