SEOUL (Bernama-Yonhap): Heavy rains battered South Korea’s Seoul metropolitan area and the eastern province of Gangwon overnight, flooding homes and roads and causing some 540 cases of property damage, officials said Saturday, Yonhap News Agency reported.
According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, nearly 200 millimetres of rain fell in the metropolitan area and the eastern province of Gangwon between midnight and 10 am local time, with 192.5 mm in Paju, 189.5 mm in Dongducheon, 179 mm in Pocheon, 166.5 mm in Gimpo and 159.5 mm in Cheorwon.
As of 11 a.m., heavy rain alerts remained in place for 10 Gangwon Province regions and a mudslide warning for Pocheon.
Authorities have received reports of 148 cases of flooded homes and roads and 392 cases of fallen trees and other debris.
Despite the downpours, no human casualties were reported, though 95 people from 44 households in six cities were temporarily evacuated as a precaution.
Access to 10 national parks and 275 hiking paths, including those at Mount Bukhan, was closed, while seven ferry routes operating off the west coast were suspended.
Heavy rain is forecast to continue through Sunday, with rainfall intensity to reach up to 300 mm per hour in some areas.
Prime Minister Han Seong-sook ordered authorities to swiftly mobilise equipment and personnel to reduce inconveniences that occurred in areas affected by the heavy rains.
"Fortunately, there were no human casualties, but homes and roads were flooded, and individuals suffered property damage," she said during an emergency response meeting. "I extend my condolences to all those affected."
The prime minister also requested officials to be prepared for potential landslides, especially in the central province of Chungcheong and the northeastern province of Gangwon, as heavy rain is forecast to fall in those regions later at night and early Sunday.
-- BERNAMA-YONHAP
