“The sound of the landslide was like thunder… Residents rescued people with their bare hands”

A devastating landslide struck near an apartment complex in Okpo-dong, Geoje City, early Tuesday morning, resulting in one fatality and two injuries. The incident occurred around 4:42 a.m. when a hillside adjacent to the S apartment complex gave way following intense rainfall.

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Don't even talk about it. I thought the apartment was going to collapse.

Residents described the terrifying experience, with one resident, Choi Kyung-soon, 62, recounting the "boom" of thunder followed by a rumbling sound of collapse. She expressed shock at the intensity of the landslide, stating, "I never knew landslides made such a noise." The mud and debris surged towards the 15-story buildings, reaching the second floor of some units and blocking the complex's entrance with debris-laden vehicles.

In the immediate aftermath, residents who evacuated rushed to help, with some reportedly rescuing trapped neighbors with their bare hands. A young man, a shipyard worker living on the first floor, died in the disaster, while two others sustained injuries. Rescue and search operations concluded by late morning, but the lower floors of the affected buildings were severely damaged, with broken windows and scattered belongings visible amidst the mud and ongoing rain.

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I heard that residents who rushed out with their bare hands rescued several residents buried on the first floor.

The heavy rainfall also caused widespread flooding across Geoje and nearby Tongyeong, submerging roads and school facilities. The region experienced rainfall amounts comparable to historical extreme weather events, such as Typhoon Rusa. Despite the severe damage, the heavy rains have also provided much-needed relief to areas suffering from a prolonged drought, significantly increasing reservoir levels.

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I never imagined something like this would happen in our apartment complex. Just a few days ago, I saw news about a severe drought, so I thought it was fortunate that it was raining. I really didn't know there would be floods and landslides like this.