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Paths blocked, trains on hold, officials deployed as heavy rain batters Seoul

Published: 17 Jul. 2025, 09:08 Updated: 17 Jul. 2025, 10:00

YOON SO-YEON
[email protected]

The Jeungsan Bridge in western Seoul is flooded on the morning of July 17. Access to nearby streams and the bridge have been prohibited due to the heavy rain. [YONHAP]

Authorities banned access to 29 streams across Seoul, four parking lots and one road near a bridge Thursday morning due to heavy rains in the capital city overnight that have continued through the morning.

Access to streams including Cheonggye Stream, Anyang Stream, Hongje Stream and 27 more have been banned. The Seodaemun District also warned residents to stay away from mountains or other areas susceptible to landslides.

Both directions of the road under the Jeungsan Bridge, between Jeungsan Bridge and Jungam Bridge, were closed due to the rain, according to the Seoul Transport Operation and Information Service (Topis). The transport service advised drivers to take detours.

At 6:43 a.m., the government also issued a warning for Seongbuk District, central Seoul, of possible flooding. Officials also began evacuating residents living in basement or semi-basement levels of buildings.

The Seoul Metropolitan City government issued a Level 1 warning at around 4:30 a.m. and began emergency work involving 3,110 officials from 25 district offices as well as 355 officials from the city government.

Buses run in rainy Gangnam, southern Seoul, on July 16. [YONHAP]

Trains coming into Seoul from the Chungcheong and Gyeonggi regions have been put on hold as of Thursday morning, according to Korail. Subway Line No. 1 has also stopped operating from stations Seonghwan to Sinchang.

Fire authorities responded to 36 incidents overnight, including 23 instances of water drainage assistance and 13 other issues involving trees, walls and facilities affected by the rain.

Seoul is also operating 36 rainwater pumping stations and has strengthened monitoring of weather and streams, along with overall situation management.

Citizens hurry home amid heavy rain on the evening of July 16, when heavy rain warnings were issued across the country. [YONHAP]

In preparation for even more rainfall, Seoul has secured “rainwater bowls” — reservoirs at 12 locations including Seoul Grand Park lakes and ponds — with a storage capacity of 641,234 tons to contain excess rainwater.

Seoul is expected to see 50 to 120 millimeters (2 to 4.7 inches) on Thursday morning, according to the KMA.

BY YOON SO-YEON [[email protected]]