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Korea's southern regions see torrential rains, more than 2,500 people evacuated

Published: 04 Aug. 2025, 09:47 Updated: 04 Aug. 2025, 18:35

City officials check the flooded roads of Gwangju Buk District on Aug. 3 as heavy rain hits the southern regions of the country. [NEWS1]

More than 2,500 people were forced to evacuate their homes overnight as powerful downpours swept through six provinces, according to government officials Monday.

As of 4:30 a.m. Monday, a total of 2,523 people from 1,836 households had evacuated in 27 cities and counties across Busan, Gwangju, South Chungcheong, South Jeolla, North Gyeongsang and South Gyeongsang, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.

South Gyeongsang saw the highest number of evacuees, with 2,262 people from 1,647 households. That was followed by South Chungcheong with 100 people, South Jeolla with 84, Gwangju with 41, Busan with 31 and North Gyeongsang with 5.

Most evacuees — 2,498 people from 1,820 households — remained at temporary shelters on Monday morning.

Between midnight on Sunday and 5 a.m. Monday, cumulative rainfall reached 289.6 millimeters (11.4 inches) in Muan, South Jeolla, 212.3 millimeters in Hapcheon, South Gyeongsang, and 196.5 millimeters in Goryeong, North Gyeongsang. Muan saw extreme rainfall of 142.1 millimeters in a single hour, prompting a landslide advisory.

Heavy rain warnings are currently in effect for Ulsan, North Gyeongsang and South Gyeongsang, while rain advisories have been issued for Daegu, Ulsan, North Chungcheong and both Gyeongsang provinces.

A community culture center is flooded after heavy rain on Aug. 3 in South Jeolla's Muan District. [YONHAP]

No damage to life or property has been officially confirmed as of Monday morning, but the death of a man in his 60s who was swept away by floodwaters in Muan on Sunday night is still under review to determine whether it classifies as a casualty caused by the natural disaster.

Anticipating further downpours, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety raised the disaster response level from Level 1 to Level 2 between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. Sunday, and instructed local governments and relevant agencies to strictly control access to high-risk areas and ensure residents preemptively evacuate in regions under heavy rain warnings.

Facilities across the country have also been shuttered due to the rain. A Honam Line train route between Iksan and Gwangju Songjeong was suspended on Sunday but has since resumed. Four passenger ferries connecting Mokpo to Hongdo and Yeosu to Geomundo were canceled. Access has also been restricted to 17 national parks across 549 hiking trails, 112 riverside parking lots, 16 underpasses, 258 riverbanks and 67 roads.

Meanwhile, all heavy rain warnings have been lifted for Gwangju and the Jeolla region, which saw some of the heaviest rainfall Sunday.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters urged local governments to remain on high alert, warning that rain of around 20 millimeters per hour was falling in North and South Gyeongsang and North Chungcheong, where rain alerts remain in effect.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]