Heaviest rainfall in 80 years submerges properties and metro system, triggers landslides and knocks out energy across the capital.

At the very least seven individuals have died and 6 had been lacking in and round Seoul, the South Korean capital, after torrential rain knocked out energy, triggered landslides and flooded properties and town’s metro system.

The southern a part of Seoul was deluged in additional than 100mm (3.9 inches) of rain an hour late on Monday, with the rain in some components of town reaching 141.5mm (5.7 inches) an hour, in response to Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

The Yonhap information company stated the downpour was the heaviest in 80 years.

At the very least 5 individuals died in Seoul, whereas two had been killed in close by Geyonggi province by early Tuesday, the Central Catastrophe and Security Countermeasures Headquarters stated.

Three of the victims had been individuals residing in a banjiha – cramped basement flats of the sort depicted in Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar-winning Parasite – in Seoul’s Gwanak district.

The Yonhap information company stated the three included a teen and that the household had reported that they had been trapped of their basement residence on Monday night. They had been later discovered useless.

Extra unhappy information rising. They’d already reported their home was flooding the day earlier than. By the point rescue employees arrived, the household was useless. One of many victims had down’s syndrome.

All the time probably the most susceptible communities affected.https://t.co/Wdlrh6w6zh

— Raphael Rashid (@koryodynasty) August 9, 2022

Catastrophe officers stated a fourth particular person additionally died in Seoul after being trapped in a flooded constructing, whereas one other was believed to have been electrocuted as he tried to clear a fallen tree from the roadside.

Within the metropolis of Gwangju within the Geyonggi province, one particular person was discovered underneath the wreckage of a collapsed bus station whereas one other died after being buried in a landslide.

At the very least 9 individuals had been injured, whereas six had been lacking.

In Seoul’s glitzy Gangnam district, some buildings and retailers had been flooded and with out energy on Tuesday, whereas vehicles, buses and metro stations had been submerged, leaving individuals stranded.

“I used to be close to Gangnam station final evening when the rainfall intensified, with thunder and lightning placing each 30 seconds,” stated Lee Dongha, a 27-year-old workplace employee in Seoul.

“Unexpectedly, buses, subway stations and streets had been submerged, and that’s once I shortly determined to e book an lodging as I didn’t wish to be left stranded, with nowhere to go.”

President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered authorities officers to evacuate residents from high-risk areas and inspired companies to permit staff versatile commuting hours on Tuesday morning.

“Nothing is extra valuable than life and security. The federal government will totally handle the heavy rain state of affairs,” he wrote on his Fb account.

The Inside Ministry raised its flood watch degree to “critical” on Tuesday, whereas the Korea Forest Service issued landslide advisories in 46 cities and counties throughout the nation, together with in 9 districts in Seoul, in response to Yonhap.

The KMA in the meantime maintained a heavy rain warning for the Seoul metropolitan space, which is residence to 26 million individuals, for Tuesday and stated the precipitation might attain 50 to 100 mm an hour (2 to 4 inches) in some areas.

It stated it expects heavy rainfall for the central a part of the nation to proceed till at the very least Wednesday.

Whereas South Korea typically experiences heavy rain in summer season, “such sharp enhance in precipitation and frequent torrential rains can’t be defined with out the large development of local weather change,” a KMA official, who spoke in situation of anonymity, advised the Reuters information company.

“This phenomenon is seen occurring extra typically attributable to local weather change that has resulted in a chronic summer season.”