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3 dead, buildings evacuated amid heavy rains and flooding in greater Seoul

Published: 14 Aug. 2025, 08:59 Updated: 14 Aug. 2025, 19:49

The Jungnang Stream is flooded due to the heavy torrential rains on Aug. 13 in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi. [YONHAP]

Three people were reported dead on Thursday amid torrential downpours that swept from the Yellow Sea and across the northern parts of the greater Seoul area on Wednesday, with heavy rains concentrating in Incheon and northern Gyeonggi.

The three people died in Incheon, Gimpo and Pocheon as rainfall exceeded 100 millimeters (3.9 inches) per hour. Emergency rescue calls were made as cars were stranded on waterlogged roads in Incheon, Goyang and Uijeongbu, while residents in low-lying homes and commercial buildings either evacuated or were rescued after becoming trapped by rapidly rising waters.

The Korea Forest Service raised its landslide risk alert for Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi and Gangwon from Wednesday's "caution" to "serious" on Thursday. Heavy rain warnings initially issued for the capital region were later expanded to Gangwon and South Chungcheong.

As of 10 p.m., rainfall reached 255.5 millimeters on Yeongjong Island, 248.5 millimeters in Gimpo, 241.9 millimeters on Deokjeok Island and 218.5 millimeters on Muui Island. On Deokjeok Island, located in Ongjin County, Incheon, 149.2 millimeters of rain fell in just one hour between 8:14 a.m. and 9:14 a.m.

The extreme downpour caused widespread damage in a short amount of time. Around 7:20 a.m., a car skidded on a rain-slicked road in Unseo-dong in Jung District, Incheon, and plunged into a lake, killing the driver. At 12:14 p.m., a vehicle was swept away by a stream in Gochon-eup, Gimpo, and a man was found dead in the back seat.

Firefighters work to rescue a driver trapped in a vehicle flooded with rainwater near a bridge in Gimpo, Gyeonggi, on Aug. 13. [YONHAP]

At 11:20 a.m. on Wednesday, central markets in Incheon's Seo District — Jeongseojin and Gangnam markets — were flooded, leading to the evacuation of people in underground spaces. In an apartment complex in Songhyeon-dong, Dong District, a retaining wall as well as other structural components collapsed, prompting emergency safety measures.

Heavy rain continued as the storm moved inland across northern Gyeonggi. By 10 p.m., 233.5 millimeters had fallen in Jugyo, Goyang, 218.5 millimeters in Jangheung, Yangju, 218 millimeters in Singok, Uijeongbu, and 211 millimeters in Gwangneung, Pocheon.

In Hyeoncheon-dong in Deokyang District, Goyang, 105 millimeters of rain fell in one hour between 11 a.m. and noon, according to data from a local automated weather system.

At around 7 a.m. on Wednesday, an SUV skidded and hit a traffic light in Yeongbuk-myeon, Pocheon, killing a passenger and injuring the driver. At 1:20 p.m., six people were rescued by firefighters after becoming trapped in a flooded greenhouse in Naegok-dong in Deokyang District, Goyang.

Around the same time, a person was rescued from a flooded house in Howon-dong, Uijeongbu, after reporting that the door wouldn’t open due to water pressure. At 12:30 p.m., four people escaped from three submerged vehicles in Mansong-dong, Yangju. Twelve people in Jangheung-myeon and 24 in Baekseok-eup, Yangju, were stranded after rising valley waters cut off access. Firefighters used ropes to evacuate all 36 people safely despite concerns about landslides and road collapses.

An official inspects a vinyl greenhouse that has been drained of water at a flower farm in Byeongbang-dong, Gyeyang District, Incheon, which suffered flood damage on Aug. 13. [YONHAP]

According to local governments, a total of 733 people from 500 households were evacuated — 202 from 124 households in Seoul, 238 from 173 households in Incheon and 293 from 203 households in Gyeonggi. As of 6 a.m. Thursday, 712 people had failed to return home and were staying at public facilities such as schools and senior community centers.

As of 5 a.m. Thursday, 358 facilities — 212 public and 145 private — reported damages, along with 208 roads and 145 buildings that were flooded.

Uijeongbu reported 31 cases of flooded homes, 13 flooded businesses, 34 waterlogged roads and one case of soil erosion. Goyang received about 150 reports of damage, including 120 flooded roads and 26 flooded homes.

The Korea Forest Service issued landslide warnings for Gapyeong, Pocheon, Yangju, Paju, Namyangju and Uijeongbu, and advisories for Dongducheon and Yeoncheon. Evacuation orders were also issued near rivers including the Pocheon Bridge on the Pocheon Stream, Songcheon Bridge in Dongducheon and Shinwoo Bridge in Paju.

At 6 p.m., Gyeonggi raised its disaster response level from Level 2 to Level 3. This is the second time this year that the highest alert has been issued, the first being for heavy rainfall in northern Gyeonggi on July 20.

“Rain has let up somewhat, but heavy showers are expected to return by early Thursday morning,” a Korea Meteorological Administration official said. “We urge the public to be extremely cautious to prevent further damage from floods or landslides.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM JI-HYE [[email protected]]