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When it rains, it really pours as sudden torrent shuts down streets across Seoul

Published: 08 Jul. 2025, 20:49

A road near Mokdong Interchange is submerged after heavy rain on July 8 in this screen capture of a video provided by Topis. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A sudden torrential downpour on Tuesday afternoon inundated streets and underpasses across Seoul, causing traffic chaos and prompting authorities to issue heavy rain warnings in multiple districts.

At around 6:50 p.m., the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) expanded a heavy rain advisory to include northwestern parts of the capital, on top of an earlier alert for southwestern districts.

According to fire authorities, heavy rain flooded roads in several areas, including an apartment complex in western Seoul's Gocheok-dong in Guro District, Mok-dong Bridge in Yangcheon District and around Yanghwa Bridge.

There were no reports of casualties.

Flooded roads forced temporary closures across the city. The eastern underpass at Omokgyo on the Seobu Expressway toward Seongsan-dong, western Seoul, was completely shut down at one point.

Three lanes on the Olympic Expressway from Mokdong Interchange toward Hanam, Gyeonggi, spanning from the southern end of World Cup-daero to the southern end of Seongsan Bridge, were also blocked due to rising water.

The Yeongdeungpo and Dongjak district offices issued text alerts urging caution.

"A heavy rain advisory has been issued. Please avoid walking near riverside trails, valleys, steep slopes and irrigation channels," read one alert. "Residents in areas prone to flooding should install water barriers and take thorough precautions."

Pedestrians in Jongno District, central Seoul, use umbrellas amid heavy rain across Korea's capital on July 8. [NEWS1]

At 6:40 p.m., the weather agency extended the heavy rain advisory from southwestern Seoul — covering the Yangcheon, Gangseo, Guro, Yeongdeungpo, Dongjak, Gwanak and Geumcheon districts — to northwestern areas including the Eunpyeong, Jongno, Mapo, Seodaemun, Jung and Yongsan districts.

"With daytime temperatures rising sharply, the atmosphere has become unstable, creating intense rain clouds over parts of Seoul," the KMA said. "These areas are experiencing downpours exceeding 50 millimeters [1.97 inches] per hour."

Forecasters warned of continued heavy rain into the evening, with localized downpours reaching up to 60 millimeters, accompanied by gusts and lightning. They projected rainfall of around 30 millimeters per hour in some places.

A heavy rain advisory is issued when more than 60 millimeters of rain is expected over three hours or 110 millimeters over 12 hours — enough to make it difficult to stay dry even with an umbrella and to raise the risk of stream overflows.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety also sent out text messages cautioning the public to avoid riverside trails, valleys, steep slopes and irrigation canals, and urged people to pay close attention to flood risks.

A heat wave advisory remained in effect across Seoul.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY JUNG SI-NAE, BAE JAE-SUNG [[email protected]]