Torrential rain leaves three missing or dead; floods farmland

The torrential rains that started nationwide since Wednesday night have left 3 people missing or dead, slowed traffic and flooded farmland. The Korea Meteorological Administration(KMA) revealed that the meeting of a warm southwesterly current of air from China and a northwesterly cold front created the rain cloud cover, which is affecting the whole nation. The rain is expected to continue until Sunday, and the weather will stay cloudy early next week with occasional showers.

From Wednesday night to 3pm on Friday, Gunsan saw 177.5mm of rain, Seoul 136.3mm, Incheon 157.5mm, Daejeon 163.2mm and Jeonbuk 160.5mm. It is forecasted that the rain clouds will travel the Korean Peninsula dropping an additional 40~60mm of rain in Gyeongsang province (more than 80mm in some areas) and 50~100mm of rain in the Seoul, Gyeonggi, Chungcheong and Jeolla regions (more than 150mm in some areas). An official from the KMA remarked that the current rains may result in the highest aggregate precipitation for this year and warned citizens to take the necessary precautions in preparing for heavy rains on Saturday.

Due to the heavy rains, at 1:40 pm on Thursday in Chungnam, Chongyang, Lee Jae-Man and 2 other employees of the Korea Radio Wave Base Station were swept away by high waters while crossing Jungnim bridge in a truck. Lee`s body was found at a watercourse in Jangpyeong-myeon, Guryong-ri, about 4km away from the scene of the accident, at 7:00am on Friday. On the afternoon of Friday, Lee Soon-Dal, who was also swept away while crossing a bridge in Jeonnam, Suncheon-si, was found dead one hour after the incident.

In addition, traffic was restricted at an underpass in Sangam-dong, Seoul, due to heavy rain and a detour road in Uijeongbu was flooded. A local road connecting Chunchon and Hwacheon was closed off after it was covered in 100 tons of rocks and sand. Flights to and from Sokcho, Ulsan, Gunsan, Yeosu and Mokpo were all cancelled and a few coastal passenger ships were kept on shore.