Seoul: At least seven people were dead and six others remain unaccounted for after the heaviest rainfall in 80 years lashed South Korea, which led to the flooding of homes, vehicles, buildings and subway stations, officials said on Tuesday.
Parts of Seoul, the western port city of Incheon and Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital received heavy rains of over 100 millimeters per hour on Monday night, reports Yonhap News Agency.
Per-hour precipitation in Seoul’s Dongjak district surpassed 141.5 mm at one point, the highest since 1942.
The Korea Meteorological Administration said up to 300 mm of more rain is forecast for the capital area through Thursday, with Gyeonggi likely to see rains surpassing 350 mm.
Of the seven victims, five were reported from Seoul and the remaining two in Gyeonggi.
While four people went missing in the capital, two were reported in the province.
Nine people sustained injuries in Gyeonggi and 163 people from 107 households in the capital area were left homeless and took shelter in schools and other public facilities.
The downpours also left many public facilities out of service, with eight cases of flooded railroads reported in Seoul, Incheon and elsewhere, and causing temporary suspension of services in sections of some railway and subway lines.
About 80 sections of the country’s roads, three underground roadways and 26 riverside parking lots were blocked.
Entry into 134 hiking courses at four national mountain parks, including Mount Bukhan in the northern periphery of Seoul, remain banned.
Nineteen passenger ferry routes also remained out of service on Tuesday.
Fire authorities also rescued 88 people from flooded streams in Gyeonggi and other areas.
The Interior Ministry has upgraded its flood damage watch level from “alert” to “serious”.
The Korea Forest Service issued landslide advisories in 47 cities and counties across the nation, including in nine districts in Seoul, parts of Incheon, Gyeonggi, Gangwon, and North and South Chungcheong provinces.
–IANS
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