Torrential rains hit Seoul region, at least one dead, hundreds evacuated

Heavy rains battered Seoul and nearby cities for two days, leaving at least one person dead and nearly 1,000 evacuated. Flooded roads, landslides and power outages disrupted daily life, while emergency teams rescued over 140 people and worked to restore services.

Seoul: Torrential rain that battered South Korea’s greater capital region for two days began easing Thursday afternoon, but not before claiming at least one life.

The downpour in the greater Seoul area beginning early Wednesday morning caused flooding, damaged hundreds of roads and homes, and forced nearly 1,000 people to evacuate.

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The rain slowed Thursday afternoon, and South Korea’s weather agency forecast it would taper further later in the day.

About 270 to 320 millimetres fell in parts of Seoul and nearby cities, including Paju, Incheon, and Gimpo, leaving vehicles stranded on roads that became chocolate-coloured rivers and residents salvaging belongings from properties damaged by flash floods.

As the rain strengthened on Wednesday, authorities issued flood and landslide warnings for areas near rivers, streams, and hills. Officials shut down dozens of riverside parks and more than 100 hiking trails while issuing text messages warning people to beware of floods, landslides, and damaged structures.

Emergency workers rescued at least 145 people and responded to hundreds of reports of road disruptions. As of Thursday morning, power was restored to some 4,000 households that had been knocked out of electricity overnight, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said.

More than 800 people were forced to evacuate, and 759 had not been able to return to their homes as of 11 am Thursday, the ministry said. There were no reports of flights interrupted by the rain