South Korea braces for continued heavy rainfall, warns of safety hazards

South Korea is bracing for continued heavy rainfall, with the Meteorological Administration forecasting intense downpours across most of the country on Monday. Areas in the southern coastal regions and Jeju Island have already experienced significant rainfall overnight, with Geojedo recording 782.5mm and Tongyeong 628.9mm.

Geojedo saw an extreme rate of 124.5mm of rain in just one hour, while Tongyeong experienced 96.7mm in the same period, causing widespread flooding that made walking difficult and submerged vehicles. The forecast indicates that these severe conditions will persist through Monday morning, with Busan and the southern coast of Gyeongnam expected to receive 50-100mm of rain per hour.

The agency has issued warnings for potential safety hazards, including landslides, floods, and dangerous currents. The heavy rain is attributed to a low-pressure system moving northeast from the Yellow Sea. While rain is expected nationwide on Monday, some areas in Gyeongnam and Jeju may see precipitation continue into the night.

In addition to the rain, some regions will experience high temperatures, with daytime highs reaching 27-32 degrees Celsius. The combination of warm surface temperatures and cooler air at higher altitudes is expected to create atmospheric instability, leading to localized downpours of 5-60mm in central and Jeolla regions from the afternoon into the evening.