Up to 80mm of Rain per Hour Forecast for Jeolla and Gyeongsang Provinces
Rising Damage: Four Dead, One Missing
Central Disaster Headquarters Raises Alert to Level 3 for First Time in Two Years
Extreme heavy rainfall has continued for a third consecutive day, significantly increasing the extent of damage. The torrential downpours, which have resulted in four fatalities, are expected to persist until the 19th. Facility damage caused by river flooding and inundation is also ongoing.
According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and other authorities on the 18th, more than 100mm of rain per hour fell in the Chungcheong region the previous day. Seosan in South Chungcheong Province recorded 114.9mm in just one hour, and Sancheong in South Gyeongsang Province saw 101.0mm of rain in the same period. Since the 16th, cumulative precipitation has exceeded 400mm, with Naju in South Jeolla Province at 445.0mm, Gwangju at 442.0mm, Hongseong in South Chungcheong Province at 437.6mm, and Seosan at 427.1mm. The Korea Meteorological Administration stated that the rainfall recorded in Seosan and other parts of South Chungcheong Province is at a level expected only once every 200 years.
Cheonggyecheon is closed on the 17th due to heavy rain mainly in the metropolitan and central regions. 2025.07.17 Photo by Dongju Yoon
As heavy rain continues nationwide, both casualties and facility damage are mounting. In Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, two people died after their vehicle was stranded due to flooding around a farm road, and in Dangjin, one person was found dead after a building basement was inundated. With these incidents, the death toll from this round of heavy rain has risen to four, and one man is missing in Gwangju.
In Gwangju, where rainwater reached waist level, there were 203 cases of building flooding. In South Chungcheong Province, where there are many rice paddies, 28 additional cases of flooded rice fields were reported. As a result, 5,192 people from 13 out of the nation's 17 provinces and metropolitan cities have evacuated their homes. Of these, 4,531 people have not yet been able to return.
School operations have also been disrupted. The previous day in South Chungcheong Province, 482 schools suspended classes, and 183 schools either adjusted their start times or switched to shortened classes. In 15 regional education offices across the country, school facilities suffered damage such as leaks and flooding.
The situation has been especially inconvenient for citizens as train services have also been suspended due to the heavy rain. The Gyeongbu Line (Seoul~Busan), Janghang Line (Yongsan~Iksan), Seohae Line (Hongseong~Seohwaseong), and Chungbuk Line (Daejeon~Jecheon) have all ceased operations. The Gyeongjeon Line (Dongdaegu~Jinju), Honam Line (Iksan~Mokpo), and Jeolla Line (Namwon~Yeosu Expo) have even suspended KTX services, resulting in crowded stations filled with passengers unable to board their trains.
As damage continues to mount across the country, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters has raised its response level to the highest, Level 3, and issued a "serious" level storm and flood crisis alert. This is the first time the Level 3 response has been activated since Typhoon Khanun approached in 2023, two years ago.
With more heavy rain forecast for today and the 19th, the damage could increase further. Up to 300mm or more of rain is expected in South Jeolla and South Gyeongsang Provinces by the 19th, with rainfall intensities reaching up to 80mm per hour. Afterward, starting from the 20th, the North Pacific high-pressure system will expand and warm, humid air will flow in. Ko Sangmin, a weather analyst at the Korea Meteorological Administration, stated, "After the 20th, there is a high likelihood that heat waves and tropical nights will return."
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