Monster Storm Causes 2 Missing in Gwangju and Jeonnam... 'Evacuation Order' in Gyeongnam

[Financial News] Heavy rain in Gwangju, Jeonnam, and Gyeongnam regions has caused large-scale flooding and missing persons, resulting in significant damage. Although the heavy rain has subsided in some areas, Gyeongnam has raised its emergency response level to the highest, level 3, as heavy rain continues.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration and local governments on the 19th, up to 574.5mm of heavy rain fell in Gwangju and Jeonnam from the 17th to 3 p.m. on the 19th. In Gwangyang Baegunsan, 574.5mm was recorded, and in Gwangju 478.1mm, Sinan 477.5mm, Naju 474.0mm, and Hwasun 473.0mm, with most areas receiving over 400mm of rain.
At 4 p.m. on the 19th, the heavy rain warning for Goheung, Boseong, Yeosu, Jangheung, Gangjin, Haenam, Wando, Yeongam, Mokpo, and Jindo in Jeonnam was lifted. However, the warning remains in effect for 13 cities and counties, including Gwangju, Naju, and Hwasun. Particularly, in Haenam and Wando, where the rain has stopped, a heatwave warning has been issued, indicating rapid weather changes.
In Gwangju, 2 people missing due to heavy rain have not been found for three days. On the 17th, around 3 p.m., a scene of an elderly man in his 80s being swept away by a torrent near Sinan Bridge in Buk-gu, Gwangju, was witnessed by residents, and a Buk-gu office employee reported it instead. On the same day, contact was lost with a man in his 70s living in Geumgok-dong, Buk-gu, and the fire department is continuing the search for the missing.
In Gwangju, a total of 1,094 damage reports were received due to the heavy rain. Among them, the fire department took safety measures for a total of 724 cases, including 308 road flooding and 281 building flooding.
In Jeonnam, 475 houses were flooded, and public facilities such as rivers, reservoirs, and cultural properties suffered 187 cases of damage. About 218,000 poultry and livestock, including ducks and broilers, died, and fish farming damage was estimated at 70 million won. The area of crop damage, including rice and fruit trees, reached 5,209 hectares (㏊), with a drainage rate of 52.1% as of 1 p.m. that day.
The situation is also serious in the Gyeongnam region. From the 16th to 2 p.m. on the 19th, 632mm of rain fell in Sancheong, 532.5mm in Haman, and 502.5mm in Hapcheon, with 283.8mm falling in Sancheong alone that day.
The Korea Meteorological Administration downgraded the heavy rain warning to a heavy rain advisory for 14 cities and counties in Gyeongnam, including Hadong, Sancheong, Hapcheon, Jinju, Changwon, and Gimhae, at 4 p.m. that day, but the advisory remains in effect for 4 cities and counties, including Tongyeong, Sacheon, Geoje, and Namhae.
Sancheong-gun issued an emergency disaster message at 1:50 p.m. that day, requesting all residents to evacuate to a safe area as heavy rain poured down. In Sancheong-gun, landslides and trees were swept away, and damage occurred in various places, with 3 people missing after landslides covered 2 houses. In Naeri Village, a landslide occurred, and a person in their 40s inside the house died.
The fire department issued a national fire mobilization order from 1 p.m. as damage increased in Sancheong-gun, and is working on recovery. Gyeongnam Province is also responding to the heavy rain by raising the emergency response level to the highest, level 3, at 12:10 p.m. that day. 
 




scottchoi15@fnnews.com Choi Eun-sol Reporter