Woman Missing in Busan Oncheoncheon Swollen by Heavy Rain... Fire Authorities "Searching"

On the 20th, a woman was swept away by a swollen river due to heavy rain in Busan, and the fire authorities are conducting a search.

The Busan Fire and Disaster Headquarters announced that at around 5:48 PM on the same day, they received a report that a woman had fallen into the water near Oncheoncheon, close to Oncheonjang Station on Busan Metro Line 1, and was holding onto a pillar, and they dispatched emergency responders.

The fire authorities arrived at the scene and attempted a rescue, but the woman was ultimately swept away by the water and went missing.

Currently, about 200 rescue personnel and 33 vehicles have been mobilized for the search, and the police and coast guard have also deployed personnel to assist in the search efforts.

These agencies have expanded the search area from the initial report location downstream to the entrance of the Suyeong River, but the woman has not yet been found.

Fire authorities are searching for a woman who went missing in Oncheoncheon.
[Image source=Busan Fire Disaster Headquarters]

A heavy rain warning was issued in Busan at 7:40 PM on the same day, with heavy rainfall ranging from 10 to 30 mm per hour. The cumulative rainfall in Buk-gu, Busan, reached 67.5 mm, and Geumjeong-gu recorded 63.5 mm.

A strong wind advisory was also issued, with strong winds observed, including a peak instantaneous wind speed of 16.1 m/s at Oryukdo.

The Korea Meteorological Administration forecasted that an additional 30 to 80 mm of rain would fall until early the next morning, with some areas expected to receive more than 150 mm. Some regions may experience very heavy rain with a maximum hourly rainfall of up to 50 mm.

An official from the Busan Regional Meteorological Office said, “Do not approach places where water levels can suddenly rise or flooding is possible, such as valleys or rivers, and be cautious of landslides or facility collapses. Since strong winds are expected to continue for some time, we also urge checking the safety of facilities.”