Home > National > Social Affairs

Devastation, heartbreak and frustration in South Gyeongsang after torrential rains pummel region

Published: 21 Jul. 2025, 05:00

A house in Naeri village in South Gyeongsang's Sancheong County is seen damaged by the flood on July 20. [NEWS1]

At 11 a.m. on Sunday, the village of Naebu in Sancheong-eup, Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang, located at the foot of Mount Waryong, remained devastated. The area was hit hard by torrential rains that triggered a county-wide evacuation order the previous day, leaving three people dead due to landslides.

On either side of a 5-meter-wide (16.4 feet) dirt-covered road, the village presented a stark contrast. About 300 meters uphill toward the mountain’s summit, buildings had been completely wiped out. In their place lay debris from landslides — boulders the size of adult torsos, uprooted trees and remnants of structures.

The 1,841-square-meter (0.5 acres) site where a cattle farm once stood showed no trace of its former structures. The farm belonged to an elderly couple in their 70s who perished in the disaster.

“The couple and I were working to clear debris to divert the water flow," said 61-year-old Jeong Gi-ho, a local resident who witnessed the scene. "I was heading downhill when I heard a transformer explode. When I turned around, the boulders and mud had swept through their farm in an instant.”

Only the couple’s home stood intact amid the devastation. Their in-laws, Jeong Yong-sik, 77, and Choi Seong-sun, 72, stood in disbelief, staring at a pair of empty rubber shoes left behind.

“What are we supposed to do now? I can’t believe this is real,” they repeated in shock.

“Our daughter-in-law kept trying to call them this morning, but no one answered," said Choi. "I told her to ask her sibling living in town to check on them. The phones were there, but the couple was nowhere to be found, not at shelters or anywhere else.”

A woman in her 20s, the daughter of a nearby restaurant owner, also died in the landslide.

“Her mother had gone into town, leaving her behind,” said another resident in sorrow.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, as of 4 p.m. on Sunday, 31 people nationwide had been confirmed dead or missing due to the torrential rains, including 14 fatalities in Sancheong alone.

The disaster toll rose further as heavy downpours struck northern Gyeonggi the following morning. In Gapyeong, 197.5 millimeters (7.77 inches) of rain fell between midnight and 10 a.m. on Sunday. At 4:37 a.m., a landslide in Sinsang-ri, Jojong-myeon, Gapyeong County, destroyed three houses and buried four residents. Three were rescued, but one died.

A bridge in South Gyeongsang's Sancheong County is seen damaged by the flood on July 20. [YONHAP]

Sancheong recorded a cumulative rainfall of 793.5 millimeters from July 16 onward, surpassing half of its total annual rainfall of 1,513.5 millimeters last year. Other heavily hit areas included Hapcheon, Hadong, Gwangyang in South Jeolla and Changnyeong.

At 9:30 a.m., Naeri village in Sancheong, where two people had died the previous day, stood deserted. Village head Kang Yong-ho, 63, said, “The village is empty because residents left out of fear of further damage.” Along the steep, two- to three-meter-wide cement road leading up, uprooted trees and rocks clogged the waterways. A two-story house midway up the village stood with its brick exterior walls torn away by floodwaters, leaving its interior exposed.

“The creek overflowed from the morning of the 19th, blocking drainage with rocks and debris. I’ve lived here nearly 50 years but have never seen so much rain or a creek flooding over the road,” Kang said. “That chaos led to the loss of lives.”

There were also dramatic rescues. On July 19 at 5:10 p.m., a sudden landslide in Danseong-myeon, Sancheong, stranded 34 people, including 16 residents and tourists. Despite knee-deep water and blocked roads, firefighters rescued all of them over the course of six hours.

“Most were in their 70s or 80s, and the swollen stream made evacuation difficult. They followed instructions calmly, which allowed us to rescue them safely,” a firefighter said.

The Oejeong Village in Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang, is under repair after seeing damage from the flood on July 20. [YONHAP]

Naeri village in South Gyeongsang's Sancheong County is seen damaged by the flood on July 20. [YONHAP]

Nationwide, the heavy rains forced 13,209 people from 9,694 households across 14 provinces and cities to evacuate. Of these, 3,836 people from 2,752 households have yet to return home. Reported damage included 730 cases of road flooding, 168 landslides, and 401 cases of river facility collapses. Private property damage included 1,853 flooded buildings and 73 inundated farmlands.

Earlier rains on July 16 and 17 also severely affected regions including Gwangju, South Jeolla, South Chungcheong and Ulsan. Gwangju, where three people went missing, recorded 426.4 millimeters of rain on July 17 alone, setting a record for the highest single-day rainfall since observations began in 1939. In South Chungcheong, which saw two deaths, recovery efforts are ongoing.

At a community center in Hapori, Sapgyo-eup, Yesan County, a foul odor lingered from rotting watermelons and vegetables and sewage from flooded livestock farms. Army troops from the 32nd Division worked tirelessly to clear waste, but debris piled up faster than it could be removed.

“It’s overwhelming. I can’t find the strength to go on,” residents sighed.

The Oejeong Village in Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang, is under repair after seeing damage from the flood on July 20. [YONHAP]

A car in Naeri village in South Gyeongsang's Sancheong County is seen damaged by the flood on July 20. [NEWS1]

Locals at recovery sites pleaded for more manpower. At Guman-ri village hall in Godeok-myeon, Yesan County, across from Hapo-ri, a volunteer firefighter said, “Where has all the manpower gone? Everyone here is elderly. Without soldiers or volunteers, we can’t cope.”

In Ulsan’s Ulju County, the Bangudae Petroglyphs — National Treasure No. 285 and a Unesco World Heritage site — were submerged again on July 12. Located upstream from Sayeon Dam, the carvings are submerged when the dam's water level exceeds 53 meters. On July 19 at 5 a.m., the water level surpassed 53 meters and reached 57 meters by 1 p.m., fully submerging the site. As of July 20, the level stood at 58 meters.

In Sancheong, landslides and rising waters blocked roads and caused power outages and communication disruptions, leaving many areas effectively isolated. On July 19, Park, a driver in his 50s, was stranded roadside due to flooding. “There’s no signal. This isn’t the Stone Age. What am I supposed to do now?” he said in frustration. The main artery, National Route 3, a four-lane road, was temporarily closed due to landslides. Moon, a Sancheong resident in his 60s, lamented, “There were fires in the spring, now floods in the summer. It’s terrifying — how are we supposed to live like this?”

South Gyeongsang authorities are carrying out emergency repairs and plan to request special disaster area designation and emergency recovery funds from the central government. President Lee Jae Myung on Sunday ordered officials to swiftly designate areas severely affected by the recent rains as special disaster zones.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY WE SUNG-WOOK [[email protected]]