16 Dead or Missing Over Two Days of Heavy Rain... Teen Swept Away by Rapids in Namyangju

570 Displaced Persons and 1,253 Temporarily Evacuated
2,676 Houses and Commercial Buildings Flooded

On the 9th, when record-breaking heavy rain fell mainly in Seoul and the central region, Yeouido Hangang Park was submerged in water. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Due to heavy rain over two days starting from the 8th, 16 people have died or gone missing in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, and Gangwon Province.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH), as of 6 a.m. on the 10th, casualties caused by the heavy rain were recorded as 9 dead (Seoul 5, Gyeonggi 3, Gangwon 1), 7 missing (Seoul 4, Gyeonggi 3), and 17 injured (Gyeonggi).

Compared to the tally at 11 p.m. the previous day, one more person went missing and two more were injured in Gyeonggi Province. In Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, a teenage girl went missing after being swept away by a rapid stream while returning home.

The number of disaster victims increased by 129 from the previous day to 570. Damage was concentrated in Seoul and Gyeonggi, and 520 people have still not returned home. The total number of people temporarily evacuated is 1,253, with 670 in Seoul, 503 in Gyeonggi, and 41 in Gangwon.

Over the two days, 2,676 private properties including houses and commercial buildings were flooded. Most of these, 2,419 cases, occurred in Seoul, with 120 in Gyeonggi, 133 in Incheon, and 4 in Gangwon. Other damages included 7 retaining wall collapses, 29 cases of soil erosion, 5 hectares of crop flooding, and 11 landslides.

There were 41 power outages, of which 37 have been restored. In Yangpyeong (289 households) and Gwangju (407 households) in Gyeonggi Province, restoration is ongoing sequentially. Among public facilities, there were 10 cases of track flooding, all occurring in Seoul. Railways also suffered 6 damages (3 each in Seoul and Gyeonggi).

Fire authorities rescued 145 people from rapid streams caused by the heavy rain, an increase of 58 from the previous day. In addition, safety measures were taken to remove 742 obstacles, and drainage support was provided at 2,091 locations.

Cumulative rainfall from the 8th to 5 a.m. on the day recorded 526.2 mm in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, 524.5 mm in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, and 525.0 mm in Seoul (Korea Meteorological Administration).