Two Dead, Two Missing in Gapyeong Due to Landslide
Heavy Rain Causes Houses to Collapse and Residents to Be Evacuated
In the early morning of the 20th, two people died and two others went missing due to a landslide caused by heavy rainfall in the Gapyeong area of Gyeonggi Province.
On the morning of the 20th, students who were trapped due to heavy rain at an educational facility in Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province, are escaping with the help of the 119 rescue team. Photo by Yonhap News
According to the Northern Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency, at around 4:37 a.m. on this day, a landslide occurred in Sinsang-ri, Jojeong-myeon, Gapyeong-gun, collapsing three houses and burying four residents.
Of these, three people were rescued, but a woman in her 70s was confirmed dead.
There were also cases of people going missing or dying after being swept away by rapid currents.
At 6:14 a.m. on the same day, a man in his 40s died after being swept away by the strong current at Daebo Bridge in Hangsa-ri.
Earlier, in Jojeong-myeon, a report was received at 4:58 a.m. stating that a friend who had been staying overnight went outside to move his car and went missing. The police later rescued him.
A flood warning was issued for the Daebo Bridge area starting at 2:40 a.m. on this day. At 3:20 a.m., the water level exceeded the critical stage of 6.4 meters, rising to 9.2 meters, causing the Jojeongcheon stream to overflow.
Gapyeong-gun issued an evacuation order and relocated residents from 15 households in the Daebo Bridge area to greenhouses in higher ground.
On the morning of the 20th, a convenience store building collapsed due to heavy rain in Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Yonhap News
Around 3:30 a.m. in Jojeong-myeon, 76 mm of rain fell per hour, and as of 9:30 a.m., the total daily precipitation was recorded at 197.5 mm.
The Northern Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency stated that a total of 126 reports were received that day due to the heavy rain, including landslides, missing persons, and isolated residents.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, around 3:30 a.m. in Jojeong-myeon, 76 mm of heavy rain fell per hour, and as of 9:30 a.m., the total daily precipitation reached 197.5 mm. The heavy rain warning previously issued for the Gapyeong area has now been lifted.
The fire authorities issued Level 1 emergency response for the heavy rainfall situation in Gapyeong at 5:56 a.m. on this day, and then raised the response to Level 2 at 8:32 a.m.
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