Heavy Rain and Flood Advisories Issued Near Mangyeong River
Train Service Suspended Between Iksan and Jeonju
Seventeen Residents Evacuate in Gunsan and Gimje
Overnight, more than 150mm of torrential rain fell per hour in Gunsan, Jeonbuk, leading to widespread flooding and evacuations across the region on the morning of September 7.
According to the Jeonju Meteorological Office, at 1 a.m. that day, 152.2mm of rain fell within one hour near Naeheung-dong, Gunsan City. This was the highest hourly rainfall recorded this year. Around the same time, rainfall of about 100mm per hour was also recorded in Iksan and Gimje.
From the previous day until 8:30 a.m. on September 7, cumulative precipitation reached 296mm in Gunsan, 255.5mm in Hamna, Iksan, 189mm in Wansan, Jeonju, 180mm in Gimje, 165mm in Gui, Wanju, 134.7mm in Buan, and 131mm in Jinan.
On the 7th, when heavy rain poured over the Jeonbuk region, the fire department was evacuating residents in Songpung-dong, Gunsan City. Provided by Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province Fire Headquarters
Heavy Rain, Landslide, and Flood Warnings Issued in Succession... Flooding, Communication Outages, and Suspension of Train Services
As of 8 a.m., heavy rain warnings were issued for Jinan, Jeongeup, Imsil, and Sunchang, while heavy rain advisories were in effect for the other 10 cities and counties. The Korea Forest Service issued landslide warnings for Iksan and Wanju, and landslide advisories for 10 cities and counties, including Jeonju, Gunsan, Gimje, Jeongeup, Buan, Jinan, Imsil, and Muju. Residents living near forests and in vulnerable areas were advised to evacuate immediately if any signs of danger appeared.
The Yeongsangang Flood Control Office issued consecutive flood advisories for the Mangyeong River and Soyangcheon areas during the early morning hours. At 8 a.m., an evacuation order was issued for residents in Jinggideul, Songcheon 2-dong, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, prompting about 40 residents to evacuate urgently to nearby schools and other facilities.
On the 7th, heavy rain exceeding 150mm per hour fell in Gunsan, Jeonbuk, flooding shops in the Naun-dong area. Photo by Yonhap News Agency, provided by a reader
The Jeonbuk Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters restricted access to 21 riverside walking trails in seven cities and counties across the province, as well as seven underpasses in the Gunsan, Iksan, and Wanju areas.
Flooding occurred on roads and in shops across Naun-dong and Munhwa-dong in Gunsan, resulting in numerous damage reports. The Jeonbuk Fire Headquarters received 124 reports of flooding in shops, homes, and roads throughout the province, including 38 in Iksan and 33 in Gunsan.
Train service on the Iksan-Jeonju section of the Jeolla Line was suspended from 6:25 a.m. due to track flooding. While the Yongsan-Iksan section continued to operate normally, the tracks between Dongsan and Jeonju Station were submerged. Korail deployed buses on the Iksan-Jeonju section to transport KTX passengers.
In Seosu-myeon, Gunsan, a road was washed away, and 17 residents from Gunsan and Gimje evacuated to the village hall due to concerns about landslides and flooding. Communication was temporarily cut off in parts of Gimje but was quickly restored.
Jeonbuk Province Activates Emergency Response System
Jeonbuk Province, led by Governor Kim Kwan-young, held an emergency response meeting with the heads of local governments from all 14 cities and counties, initiating emergency measures.
An official from the Jeonju Meteorological Office stated, "A strong rain cloud formed in the north has moved south and slowed down from the Chungnam region, becoming stationary over the western and inland areas of Jeonbuk, resulting in heavy rainfall. Those in affected areas should check disaster alert messages frequently and be prepared to evacuate quickly if necessary."
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