What Are the Consequences of the Recent Heavy Rains in South Korea?

Seoul, July 20 (NationPress) Intense rainfall that battered South Korea over a span of four days has resulted in a tragic loss of life, with at least nine individuals confirmed dead and several more unaccounted for, following devastating landslides in southern Sancheong County, according to officials.

A person in their sixties was discovered in cardiac arrest after a landslide, caused by the heavy rain, buried houses in a village in Sancheong, located in South Gyeongsang Province, on Saturday morning.

In a different incident, another landslide in a separate village claimed the lives of two individuals while a deadly mudslide swept through another area shortly after noon, resulting in two fatalities and one missing individual, as reported by fire authorities.

Additionally, in Sancheong, a resident was found in cardiac arrest around noon after heavy rain flooded his home. The county has issued an alert urging residents to evacuate for their safety, as reported by Yonhap news agency.

In the nearby city of Miryang, also in South Gyeongsang Province, a driver in his sixties lost his life when floodwaters swept away his vehicle.

Authorities confirmed that five people had died, two were missing, and two others were found in cardiac arrest in the province on Saturday alone, as the region experienced record-breaking rainfall. Firefighters continued their search operations for those still unaccounted for.

South Gyeongsang has been one of the hardest-hit areas by the recent torrential rains, with some parts of the province receiving over 700 millimeters of rain between Wednesday and Saturday.

The National Fire Agency issued a national mobilization order in response to the landslide incidents.

Thus far, central and local government agencies have reported five deaths and four individuals missing since the onset of the relentless rain that began on Wednesday.

Four of the five fatalities reported in South Gyeongsang on Saturday were not included in the initial death toll.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters is anticipated to release updated information on casualties and damage assessments later today.

Weather officials have warned of an additional 250 millimeters of rain potentially falling within the day, raising concerns of further destruction and loss of life.

Evacuation orders have been issued for 7,029 residents from 4,995 households, with over 2,800 individuals still stranded and unable to return home.

The relentless downpours have flooded roads, triggered landslides, and submerged homes throughout the nation.

Overnight rain remained severe across many regions.

On Yeongheung Island in Incheon, 98.5 millimeters of rain fell within just one hour, from 12:50 a.m. to 1:50 a.m., while Boseong in South Jeolla Province recorded 88 millimeters.

Some areas have already received more than 40 percent of their annual average rainfall over the past four days. Seosan recorded 558.6 millimeters of rain from Wednesday to Friday morning, representing 45 percent of its annual average.

A total of 729 instances of public infrastructure damage have been reported, including 388 flooded roads, 133 landslides, and 57 river facility collapses. Private property damage has reached 1,014 cases, encompassing 64 flooded buildings and 59 instances of submerged farmland.