[Report] "Soaked even with an umbrella due to the downpour"... A war-like commute [Summary]

[Financial News] #. Kim Mo (35), living in Songdo, Incheon, took the M6751 metropolitan bus at 5:30 AM, 30 minutes earlier than usual. Kim chose boots instead of the shoes he often wore and even packed an extra pair of pants. This was because his clothes and shoes got soaked due to the heavy rain the previous day. Kim said, "My company is in Yongsan-gu, so I have to transfer buses at Exit 6 of Yeouido Station, but sometimes the interval between buses exceeds 10 minutes, so I came out early to avoid being late."
On the morning of the 17th, as heavy rain fell in the metropolitan area, office workers who left their homes for work were drenched in sweat. The prolonged heavy rain soaked the shirts of office workers through their umbrellas, and in the crowded subway, sighs close to screams erupted.
Near Yeouido, Seoul, citizens struggled with the difficulties of using public transportation, stamping their feet. Many office workers were inconvenienced as roads were submerged and bus operations were delayed.
Park Mo (37), who commutes from Mapo-gu to Yeouido, said, "Usually, when the sign says 'arriving soon', the bus comes within 2 minutes, but today it didn't come even after 5 minutes, so I thought I was going to be late," adding, "I have to be at work by 7 AM, but I came out without any worries, and the bus didn't come until 6:30, so my hands were sweaty."
Due to the rain filling the streets to the point where the pavement was overflowing, many office workers wore shorts or boots to work. Lee Mo (31), who was walking with an umbrella large enough for two people, emphasized, "Wearing shorts is better, but even with boots, water gets inside, making it uncomfortable."
The chaotic situation continued at subway stations as well. Kim Mo (35), a resident of Seocho-gu, met at Yeouido Station on Seoul Subway Lines 5 and 9, said, "The line was longer than usual, so I barely got on after letting two trains pass," and sighed, "As time went on, the number of passengers inside the train increased, and I was pushed off."
In the Bundang area of Gyeonggi-do, heavy rain accompanied by thunder and lightning caused chaos on the way to work. Some people hurriedly bought plastic umbrellas from convenience stores, but they were of little use against the heavy rain. Pedestrians constantly hunched their shoulders due to the splashes of water from passing vehicles. In front of the bus stop, office workers wearing boots or sandals waited anxiously for the bus.
Lee Mo (31), who was waiting for the bus, frowned, saying, "It usually takes 20 minutes, but today it seems like it will take more than twice as long."
The escalators and platforms at Migeum, Jeongja, and Pangyo stations were so crowded that it was difficult to move. People hurriedly boarded the train, worried about being late, pushing each other and making irritated noises.
As the crowd gathered, concerns about safety accidents on the platform increased. This is because the rainwater dripping from umbrellas and shoes thinly soaked into the floor, which could cause slips.
Shin Mo (71), a station worker met at Migeum Station, said, "The platform is much more crowded than usual, and the floor is very slippery due to the water coming in," adding, "Even today, I witnessed several passengers slipping and falling."

yesji@fnnews.com Kim Yeji, Seo Ji-yoon, reporters