Up to 300mm Rainfall Expected Overnight in the South

Downpours continued throughout the most of the country on August 7, recording 20 to 50mm per hour of precipitation in Chungcheong, Honam and Youngnam areas. Reports of flood damage mounted rapidly - one person was killed and four missing.

The wet weather, having already poured down more than 490mm for the last four days, is expected to continue through the 10th, causing more damage. The Korean Meteorological Administration said the remnants of typhoon Kammuri is creating huge amount of vapor over the peninsula after they turned into a low-pressure trough. It forecast the heavy rainfall to continue through the 10th centering on the southern part of the country.

Additional 60-120mm of precipitation is expected in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Gangwon areas overnight, and 100-300mm in the rest of the country. Heavy rain watches were declared for Seoul, Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Ulreung-do and Dok-do at 3:00 p.m. on the 7th, with warnings issued for the rest of the country.

The Hangang Flood Control Center also issued a flood watch at 2:30 p.m., as the water level near the Hangang Bridge, connecting Yongsan and Noryangjin, exceeded the warning level of 8.5 meters.

Yangpyeong recorded an accumulation of 490.5mm of rainfall, as of 3:00 p.m. on the 7th, followed by 466.0㎜ in Seoul, 434.5㎜ in Wonju and 412mm in Bonghwa.

Icheon/Guri received 400.5mm, Uijeongbu 396.5mm, Cheolwon 379.5mm, Cheonan 336.5mm, Imchil 274.5 and Daejeon 246.5mm.

The National Disaster Prevention and Countermeasure Headquarters estimated that Property damage amounted to more than 5.76 billion won - 22 families, or 64 people, lost their homes and 6,324 houses and 460ha paddies were flooded.

Ki-Dae Yang Ho-Gab Lee kee@donga.com gdt@donga.com