Vacant houses collapse in Busan amid heavy rain; 24 evacuated

Heavy rainfall and strong winds battered Busan, South Korea, leading to the collapse of two vacant houses and forcing residents to evacuate. The incidents occurred on August 17, 2026, amid severe weather warnings for the region.

The first collapse happened around 8:28 AM in Namhang-dong, Yeongdo District. Emergency services received a report of a vacant house collapsing, but fortunately, no one was injured. Firefighters and local authorities secured the area and restricted access.

Later that morning, around 11:18 AM, another vacant house collapsed in Bumin-dong, Seo District. This incident prompted the immediate evacuation of four residents from two nearby homes as a precautionary measure due to the risk of further collapse.

In total, 14 households, or 24 people, were evacuated across four districts in Busan due to fears of structural collapse caused by the intense weather. The city had issued heavy rain and wind warnings, which were later downgraded and eventually lifted. Cumulative rainfall in Busan reached 223.8 mm at the official observation point in Jung-gu, with some areas like Gangseo District recording significantly higher amounts, including a peak hourly rainfall of 101.5 mm.