Heavy snowfalls hit central Korea; serious traffic jams feared Mon.

A record snowfall hit Seoul, central regions of the nation such as South and North Chungchong Provinces and Kyonggi Province Sunday, causing serious traffic congestion in major roads and highways throughout the nation.

Severe traffic tie-ups are expected Monday morning for commuters in the affected regions since roads are most likely to become icy after sub-zero overnight temperatures.

Seoul City Hall had great difficulty removing the snow from roads as it continued snowing from early morning and it was difficult mobilizing personnel for the work on Sunday.

Driving was totally banned in some hilly regions in Seoul, Misiryong Pass in Kangwon Province and Chupungryong Pass in North Kyongsang Province.

Many vehicles were stranded or moved at a snail¡¯s pace on the Kyongbu Highway, Yondong Highway and other roads. Dozens of collisions have been reported.

The Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA) said that Seoul had 14.4cm of snowfall as of 4 a.m., Sunday, the highest level since it saw 18.3cm on Dec. 19, 1981. Taegwallyong Pass had 34.5cm of snow, Chupungryong 33.0cm, Taebaek 31.0cm, Chupungryong 29.0cm, Mungyong 22.3cm, Kumi 18.9cm, and Chechon 15cm.

A first-degree warning of heavy snowfall was posted in Seoul, Kyonggi Province and mountainous areas in Kangwon Province, while a caution was posted in South and North Chungchong Provinces and non-mountainous regions in Kangwon Province.

Most flights at provincial airports in Pusan, Cheju, Sachon, Kangnung and other cities were suspended due to the heavy snowfall and strong winds, which left many travelers grounded. Ferry services were also halted, stranding island residents and tourists, and most fishing boats took shelter at local ports.

The heavy snowfalls also caused damages to farming households as many of the greenhouses collapsed.