Man in his 40s dies due to wall collapse in Osan amid heavy rain across Gyeonggi

[Financial News] A fatal accident occurred due to heavy rain across the entire Gyeonggi Province.

According to Gyeonggi Province on the 17th, the average accumulated rainfall in the province was recorded at 80.2mm from midnight the previous night until 5 a.m. that day. By region, Pyeongtaek recorded 157mm, Ansan 135.5mm, Hwaseong 114.5mm, and Gunpo and Anseong 109.5mm.

Currently, a heavy rain warning is in effect for the three southern cities of Pyeongtaek, Hwaseong, and Anseong, while a heavy rain advisory is in effect for the remaining 28 cities and counties.

In particular, in Osan, which recorded 41mm of rain per hour, an accident occurred at 7:04 p.m. on the 16th when a 10m high retaining wall of the overpass in the direction of Suwon at Gajang Intersection collapsed.

The collapsed concrete structure (weighing 180 tons, 40m long, 10m high) crushed a passenger car passing under the overpass, and the driver, a man in his 40s, was rescued in cardiac arrest after 3 hours but died at the hospital.

The damaged vehicle was recovered after a rescue operation using excavators, and the accident site at Gajang Intersection is under full control.

Just before the accident, from 5:44 p.m. to 6:44 p.m., Osan City recorded a rainfall of 41mm per hour.

Elsewhere in the province, although there were no casualties, 58 rain-related firefighting activities were carried out, including road obstacle removal and drainage support.

Currently, 11 roads, 2 underpasses, 23 Sewol bridges, 4 stepping stones, 9 riverside parking lots, and 15 riverside areas are under control.

A pre-evacuation advisory has been issued to residents of all areas of Anseong City, where a landslide warning has been issued, and 13 towns and villages in Pyeongtaek City.

Gyeonggi Province activated the second level of the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters at 1 p.m. on the 16th and is managing the situation in cooperation with the city and county disaster and safety countermeasure headquarters with 29 people in 12 teams.

In the second level of emergency, tasks such as situation management, emergency restoration of facility damage, and emergency livelihood support are performed.

The province is continuing preventive measures such as safety inspections in vulnerable areas and sending emergency disaster messages.

A provincial official stated, "We will continue proactive disaster response such as monitoring weather conditions and controlling and evacuating as necessary." 

ahnman@fnnews.com Ahn Seung-hyun Reporter