Record Breaking Rain Causes Extensive Damage in Southeastern South Korea

Record breaking downpours in southeastern South Korea have resulted in more than 2,500 reported damage cases, including home and road inundation, toppled trees, power outages, and water supply disruptions. According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, 2,574 reports were filed as of Tuesday morning, with rescue operations accounting for 162 of those cases. One person died and four others were injured, with the fatality and two injuries caused by a landslide that struck an apartment building in Geoje. Over 560 people were evacuated across South Gyeongsang Province, Busan, and Jeju, though 316 have since returned home.

Weather officials reported that the rainfall was exceptional in intensity. Geoje received 956.1 millimeters of cumulative precipitation from Friday midnight to Tuesday morning, while Tongyeong recorded 766.9 millimeters. The Korea Meteorological Administration noted that Geoje received nearly its average three months of summer rain in just two days. In one hour, Geoje recorded 124.5 millimeters of rain, a level expected only once every 200 years. Tongyeong saw 97.4 millimeters in a single hour, an event with a roughly 100 year return period.

Recovery efforts are ongoing, including the clearing of roads and the assessment of 41 damaged schools across South Gyeongsang Province. While heavy rain alerts have been lifted and transportation networks are operating normally, 255 sections across three national parks and 306 hazardous areas remain restricted.