Geoje Hit by 100 mm-per-Hour Downpour, All Residents Ordered to Evacuate

[Financial News] Geoje in South Gyeongsang Province was hit by extreme rainfall of more than 100 mm per hour, prompting an emergency evacuation request for all residents. Some villages in Ilun-myeon were flooded, and with Mundong Reservoir at risk of overflowing and water levels in Gohyeoncheon rising, access to roads and streams across the city center was restricted in the early morning.
According to Geoje City on the 17th, the city sent emergency disaster alerts across Geoje at around 2:10 a.m., warning of landslides and river flooding and asking residents to evacuate to safe areas. In some villages in Ilun-myeon, where torrential rain fell, flooding occurred, and fire authorities and local officials moved residents to safer locations. Preemptive evacuations also continued in other flood-prone areas.
More than 100 mm of rain fell per hour in Jangpyeong-dong, Geoje, and more than 300 mm of precipitation was recorded over three hours by 3:30 a.m. Emergency heavy-rain alerts were issued at 1:32 a.m. for Ilun-myeon and at 1:58 a.m. for Jangpyeong-dong. Such alerts are sent when rainfall of at least 100 mm is observed within one hour.
As the downpour concentrated over a short period, conditions at streams and reservoirs also became critical. At around 2:42 a.m., Geoje City warned that Mundong Reservoir faced a high risk of overflow and told nearby residents to move immediately to higher ground. Just two minutes later, at 2:44 a.m., the city fully blocked vehicle and pedestrian traffic along the stream after water levels in Gohyeoncheon rose sharply.
An actual overflow occurred at Seojeongcheon in Geoje-myeon. At around 3:48 a.m., the city announced the overflow and asked nearby residents not to go outside. Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) also warned that natural discharge was under way from Gucheon Dam and Yeoncho Dam, urging people to stay away from the streams.
City roads could not withstand the rain either. Some roads, including the area in front of the main gate of Suwol Xi in Suwol-dong, were flooded, and sections where rocks and debris had fallen were also reported, restricting vehicle traffic. Flooding and road closures were also reported near the Geo-buk-seon Parking Lot in Okpo-dong, near Jangpyeong Forena, and in Sangdong-dong.
As emergency alerts and warning sirens continued from dawn, residents also shared reports describing the urgent situation. Posts circulated online saying water in the Gohyeon-dong area had risen to waist height, and that vehicles were being swept away by rainwater. Residents worried about possible flooding in Ajucheon and Gohyeoncheon also watched the situation throughout the night.
Flooded roads and obstacles also made it difficult for emergency vehicles, including fire trucks, to enter some affected areas. Geoje City asked residents not to drive through flooded zones and to move to designated safe areas or higher ground. No casualties had been reported as of 4:30 a.m., and the exact number of evacuees had not yet been tallied.
[email protected] Jeong Ji-woo Reporter