11 Dead, 8 Missing... 1 Person Dies Swept Away by Rapid Currents in Chuncheon

Over 200mm of Rain Falls in Chungcheong Region
3,755 Houses and Commercial Buildings Flooded
Power Outage at Jinhung Apartment in Seocho-gu Causes Temporary Evacuation
Total of 5,279 Displaced and Temporarily Evacuated

On the 10th, as heavy rain poured over the central region including the Seoul metropolitan area, causing numerous casualties and property damage, volunteers and military personnel, along with merchants affected by flooding at Namseong Sagye Market in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, are carrying out restoration work. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The death toll from the heavy rain that fell in the central region starting from the 8th has risen to 11.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on the 11th, a woman in her 70s was found dead, swept away by a rapid current in Gongjicheon, Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. From the 8th to 6 a.m. on the 11th, the number of deaths caused by the heavy rain increased by one, totaling 11.

The deceased include 6 in Seoul, 3 in Gyeonggi, and 2 in Gangwon, while the missing number 8 in total: 3 in Seoul, 2 in Gyeonggi, and 2 in Wonju. Excluding one duplicate count, the number of injured is 18, all of whom are from Gyeonggi Province.

As of 6 a.m., a total of 5,279 people are evacuated in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon, Gangwon, and Chungnam. There are 982 disaster victims and 4,297 temporarily evacuated. Due to heavy rain centered in the Chungcheong area the previous day, 34 people temporarily evacuated in Chungnam, and 55 people temporarily evacuated in Gangwon Province.

In Jinhung Apartment, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 1,937 people are temporarily evacuated due to power outage caused by basement flooding, and they are expected to return home on the 11th. Seocho District Office provided accommodation fees of 70,000 KRW per person to residents.

The Central Disaster Headquarters is operating 148 temporary housing facilities, where 4,634 people are staying, an increase of 928 from the previous day. The temporary housing facilities include 74 in Seoul, 6 in Incheon, 62 in Gyeonggi, 5 in Gangwon, and 1 in Chungnam.

The number of flooded houses and commercial buildings has increased to 3,755. An additional 31 buildings were flooded in Sejong and Chungbuk, where heavy rain fell the previous day, with 26 cases occurring in Cheongju. Flooded houses and commercial buildings are most numerous in Seoul (3,453 buildings), followed by Gyeonggi (126 buildings), Incheon (133 buildings), Chungbuk (30 buildings), Sejong (9 buildings), and Gangwon (4 buildings).

On the 10th, when the heavy rain that swept through the central region subsided, Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul was submerged in the Hangang River./Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Damage from landslides also increased by 15 cases mainly in the Chungcheong area the previous day, totaling 46 cases. Since the 8th, among public facilities, there have been 11 cases of station and track flooding, 15 cases of water and sewage facility damage, 15 cases of repair facility damage, and 7 cases of landslides.

Fire authorities rescued 155 people from rapid river currents and supported 1,016 cases of obstacle removal. Drainage support work was also carried out at 2,274 locations in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon, Gangwon, and Daejeon.

Heavy rain warnings are in effect for the central region, Jeonbuk, and northern Gyeongbuk, with rainfall of 30 to 40 mm per hour currently falling mainly in Gyeonggi, Gangwon, and Chungnam areas. The cumulative rainfall from the previous day to 5 a.m. on the 11th is 224.5 mm in Gongju, Chungnam, 173 mm in Sejong, and 139 mm in Mungyeong, Gyeongbuk.