As a result of heavy rainfall that poured down in the central and southern regions on the 16th and 17th, two people have died. Over 1,300 residents sought shelter at nearby evacuation centers.
According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on the 17th, as of 4 p.m. that day, 1,382 residents from 421 households in 8 cities and provinces and 20 cities and counties temporarily evacuated due to damage. There were also facility damages, including one incident of a collapsed retaining wall, two cases of road erosion, one bridge collapse, and three road washouts, totaling seven incidents of damage to public facilities.
Around 7:04 p.m. the previous day in Osan, Gyeonggi Province, a retaining wall of an overpass collapsed and struck a vehicle passing by. As a result of this accident, a driver in their 40s lost their life. Around 3:59 a.m. that day, a man in his 50s was found in cardiac arrest inside a submerged vehicle on a road in Seoknam-dong, Seosan, and was transferred to a nearby hospital but died. One person each in Seosan and Buyeo was treated for hypothermia and minor injuries from lacerations.
The recent heavy rainfall also disrupted the education scene. As of that day, 667 schools in the Chungcheongnam-do region had either closed (482 schools), adjusted school hours (51), reduced class hours (132), or conducted remote classes (2).
Some ferry services were also suspended, with 26 routes and 34 vessels, including Mokpo-Hongdo, halting operations. There were 46 canceled flights, and train services were also suspended on 76 lines, including the Gyeongbu Line (Seoul-Daejeon Station), Janghang Line, West Sea Line (Hongseong-Anjung Station), Chungbuk Line (Osong-Gongjeon Station), Gyeongjeon Line (Gunbuk-Haman Station), and Honam Line (Naju-Gomakwon Station). Some sections of the KTX also operated at reduced speed.
Access was restricted to 21 national parks, 519 sections, and 69 riverside parking lots.
Reports of power outages from across the country totaled 29 (affecting 9,784 households), of which 11 (4,802 households) have been restored, while the rest are still undergoing restoration work.
From midnight the previous day to 5 p.m. that day, cumulative rainfall by region showed Seosan 419.6 mm, Hongseong 418.9 mm, Sejong (Jeon-ui) 387.5 mm, Dangjin 378.0 mm, Gongju 375.0 mm, and Cheongyang 369.05 mm, indicating significant rainfall in Chungcheongnam-do.
The southern regions also saw heavy rainfall, with Gwangju recording 386.4 mm, Geumsan Okgwa in Jeollanam-do 357 mm, Damyang Bongsan 352.5 mm, and Naju 292 mm.
As the heavy rainfall continued and damages increased, the Central Headquarters issued a severe weather warning at the highest level, 'serious,' on the afternoon of the 17th. Additionally, the Central Headquarters activated level 3 to raise the emergency response posture of relevant ministries and agencies to the highest level. This is the first time level 3 has been issued since Typhoon Kanun No. 6 in August 2023, nearly 1 year and 11 months ago.
Kim Min-jae, head of the Central Headquarters (acting Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety), noted, 'The government will mobilize all available resources to respond to the heavy rain situation,' and urged the public to refrain from going out during heavy rains and to avoid areas prone to damage such as low-lying areas, riversides, and landslide risk areas.
The Korea Meteorological Administration forecasted that additional rainfall of over 300 mm is expected until the 19th, primarily in the Chungcheong region, southern Gyeonggi Province, and southern regions.