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Schools shut and residents evacuated in South Chungcheong amid torrential rain

Published: 17 Jul. 2025, 09:32 Updated: 17 Jul. 2025, 09:43

Streets of Yesan in South Chungcheong are heavily flooded on July 17 morning. [NEWS1]

Overnight downpours exceeding 100 millimeters (3.9 inches) per hour battered Daejeon and South Chungcheong. Rivers overflowed and homes were flooded, along with other numerous incidents of damage.

As of 5 a.m. Thursday, 14 out of 15 cities and counties in South Chungcheong, excluding Geumsan, were under flood warnings, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the provincial government. Flood advisories remained in effect for Geumsan and Daejeon.

The northwestern area of South Chungcheong was hit particularly hard, with rainfall peaking at 144 millimeters per hour. In response, all elementary, middle and high schools in Seosan, Dangjin, Asan, Yesan and Hongseong suspended classes for the day.

Seosan recorded the heaviest rainfall, with a total of 419 millimeters since Wednesday, followed by 330 millimeters in Taean, 326 millimeters in Hongseong, 305 millimeters in Seocheon’s Chunjangdae, 223 millimeters in Sejong and 123 millimeters in Daejeon.

At Dangjin Information High School, floodwaters rose as high as waist level, blocking access to the campus. At Dangjin Tapdong Elementary School, the playground was submerged up to ankle height and had to close early. The South Chungcheong Office of Education said it would determine further closures based on evolving conditions.

The Dangjin Information High School in South Chungcheong is flooded and shut on July 17. [DANGJIN CITY]

In South Chungcheong, which saw more than 300 millimeters of rainfall overnight, 84 households and 124 residents in Buyeo and Seocheon were evacuated to local community centers and schools. In Dangjin, about 50 residents living near the Dangjin Stream were evacuated to Dangjin Elementary School due to rising water levels.

A number of casualties were also reported.

At around 6:15 a.m. Thursday, a man in his 50s was found dead inside a flooded vehicle in Seoknam-dong, Seosan. According to the provincial government and fire authorities, a report was received at 3:59 a.m. that a vehicle was submerged in water on a road in Seoknam-dong. Firefighters rescued three people from a submerged car at 5:14 a.m. and later found the man in cardiac arrest in another vehicle nearby. He was rushed to Seosan Medical Center but could not be revived.

Authorities also requested that residents living near rivers in Dangjin, Hongseong and Yesan — with a high risk of overflowing — evacuate to safer areas after Galsan Stream overflowed. In Asan, Dunpo Stream, and in Yesan, Sapgyo Stream and Namwon Stream, rising waters showed the potential of further flooding. In Yesan, the Yedang Reservoir began releasing more than 1,000 cubic meters (264,172 gallons) of water per second, raising concerns of downstream damage. Yesan County sent out disaster alerts urging residents to avoid Sapgyo and Muhan streams.

A house is flooded in Jeungpyeong County in North Chungcheong as of 2:15 a.m., July 17. [CHUNGBUK FIRE SERVICE HEADQUARTER]

A car is stuck in a flooded road in Dangjin, South Chungcheong, on July 17. [DANGJIN CITY]

Heavy rain also disrupted rail and road traffic. Korail suspended regular train services between Seoul Station and Daejeon Station on the Gyeongbu Line from 4:30 a.m. Services were also halted on the Cheonan–Iksan section of the Janghang Line, and the Hongseong–Seohwaseong section of the Seohae Line. Operations on Line No. 1 between Pyeongtaek Station and Sinchang Station were also suspended. Korail said it would decide on resuming services depending on rainfall conditions.

On the Daejeon–Dangjin Expressway, both directions near the Myeoncheon Interchange were fully closed due to a landslide. Traffic was also halted on the Seohaean Expressway’s Seoul-bound section between Haemi and Seosan interchanges.

“A great deal of rain is still falling and river levels are rising rapidly, so residents in low-lying areas must take extra caution,” a South Chungcheong official said. “Please pay close attention to disaster alerts and public announcements.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY SHIN JIN-HO [[email protected]]