Four days of heavy rain displace 557 people; central regions brace for up to 80mm more

Torrential rains across South Korea since July 17 have led to significant disruptions, forcing the evacuation of 557 people from affected areas. The downpours have caused widespread flooding, landslides, and damage to homes and infrastructure, with 828 reports of damage received nationwide.

The hardest-hit region is North Gyeongsang Province, which accounts for over 85% of the total evacuees, with 477 residents displaced. In total, across six provinces including Daegu, Sejong, Gyeonggi, North Chungcheong, South Chungcheong, and North Gyeongsang, 374 households comprising 557 individuals were temporarily evacuated. Of these, 119 people have not yet returned home, and 83 are staying in temporary shelters.

As of the morning of July 20, cumulative rainfall reached 206.8 mm in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the highest recorded. Other areas like Paju and Dongducheon in Gyeonggi Province also experienced substantial rainfall. Emergency disaster text messages were sent to residents in parts of Seoul.

Forecasting models predict an additional 30 to 80 mm of rain in central regions by the night of July 20 due to a stationary front. Landslide warnings are in effect for several areas in North Gyeongsang, and a flood warning has been issued for Micheon in Andong. Consequently, several road sections, including parts of National Road 31 in Gangwon and Provincial Road 88 in Bonghwa, are closed, along with 61 trails in five national parks. The government maintains its flood crisis alert at the 'caution' level and has activated a Level 2 response from the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.