Heavy rainfall in South Korea’s southernmost provinces led to widespread flooding, evacuations and at least one death, according to local authorities Monday.
Fire departments in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province had reported hundreds of incidents as of 5:30 a.m. Monday. In Gwangju alone, 172 flooding cases were reported, while 406 total damage reports, including loss of life, came in from South Jeolla Province.
Muan in South Jeolla Province received 289.6 millimeters of rainfall from Sunday to 7 a.m. Monday. The hourly rainfall peaked at 142.1 millimeters per hour, a level the agency said corresponds to a once-in-200-years event.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, cumulative rainfall in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province reached 257.5 millimeters. The agency forecast an additional 10 to 60 millimeters of rain in affected areas, with some locations possibly receiving more than 80 millimeters.
At around 8 p.m. Sunday, a report was received that a man had been swept away by floodwaters in a stream in Muan. When emergency responders arrived, they found a man in his 60s already dead near the stream.
As torrential rain overwhelmed drainage systems and water flowed back into streets, manhole covers were dislodged, further worsening flooding and complicating evacuation efforts for residents.
As of 4:30 a.m. Monday, 2,523 people had been evacuated across six regions ― Busan, Gwangju, South Chungcheong Province, South Jeolla Province, North Gyeongsang Province and South Gyeongsang Province ― with 2,498 still in temporary shelters, authorities said.
shinjh@heraldcorp.com
