SEOUL, Aug 9 (Portal) – At least eight people died overnight in and around Seoul, South Korean authorities said on Tuesday after torrential rains cut power, caused landslides and left roads and subways submerged.
The southern part of the state capital received more than 100 mm (3.9 inches) of rain per hour late Monday, with some parts of the city hitting 141.5 mm, the heaviest rains in decades, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).
Accumulated precipitation in Seoul since midnight Monday amounted to 451mm as of 2pm Tuesday, with more forecasts to come.
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President Yoon Suk-yeol on Tuesday visited a basement apartment where three family members died the night before after fast-moving floodwaters filled the room.
The dangers of such underground dwellings, called banjiha, were famously portrayed in a flooding scene in the Oscar-winning 2020 film Parasite.
Yoon told area residents he will try to ensure their lives return to normal as soon as possible and directed officials to consider measures to better ensure the security of the homes, according to a statement from his office.
At least five people had died in Seoul and three others in neighboring Gyeonggi province by early Tuesday, the central headquarters for disaster and security measures said.
Four, including the three family members, had died after drowning in flooded buildings, one was said to have been electrocuted, another person was found under the rubble of a bus stop and the other two died in a landslide, sources said.
At least nine people were injured and seven were missing.
A boy using an umbrella makes his way through a street flooded after torrential rains at a traditional market in Seoul, South Korea, August 9, 2022. Portal/Kim Hong-Ji
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In the glittering, densely populated Gangnam district, some buildings and shops were flooded and left without power, while cars, buses and subway stations were flooded and people were stranded.
Lim Na-kyung, a 31-year-old office worker, opened up about her fears Monday night and said the situation reminded her of a scene from the 1997 film Titanic.
“I had to keep going higher and higher because the building was sinking at high speed…I couldn’t believe I was trapped in a building with 40 other people in the middle of Gangnam district,” said the mother-of-two. who ended up staying in a Pilates center on the fourth floor.
Data showed at least 765 facilities had been damaged. About 52 highways and roads were closed.
About 391 people have been displaced in the greater Seoul area, most of whom have had to stay in local schools and gyms. According to the data, another 399 had temporarily moved to community centers and schools.
The headquarters increased the crisis alert to the highest level and asked the organizations to adjust their working hours.
The KMA issued warnings of heavy rain in the capital and metropolitan area of 26 million people, as well as parts of Gangwon and Chungcheong Province.
The KMA expects heavy rainfall for the central part of the country, which will last until at least Wednesday.
While South Korea often experiences heavy rains in the summer, “such a sharp increase in precipitation and frequent torrential downpours cannot be explained without the major trend of climate change,” a KMA official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Portal. “This phenomenon is occurring more frequently due to climate change, which has resulted in an extended summer.”
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Reporting by Joori Roh and Minwoo Park; Additional reporting by Josh Smith; Edited by Lincoln Feast and Gerry Doyle
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