At least five people were killed and one was missing in south-central South Korea after extreme rains hit the country early Wednesday (July 10) , including Chung Ching Road and Jeolla Jong-eun.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported that rainfall in Gunsan province had reached 146 millimeters per hour, the highest since records began. The early morning rainfall in Shuchuan County, South Chungqing Road, reached 111.5 mm per hour.
South Korean meteorological officials said the highest levels of rainfall were recorded in Cam Son, South Chungcheong Province, Chung Fung Ning, North Chungcheong Province and the mountains of North Jeolla Province, AFP reported, “This amount of rainfall is only expected to occur every 200 years if the intensity of rainfall is calculated on a regional basis.”.
The sudden heavy rain at night caused the collapse of houses in the affected areas, trapped people, crops and roads were flooded, but also caused casualties and missing. Torrential rain also led to some of South Korea’s railway trains, passenger ships suspended, some flights suspended or delayed.
“I ask people not to go to underground car parks, underground tunnels and streams during heavy rains,” Interior Minister Lee sang-min said in a statement