"Five hours trapped in a parking garage—there's no hell like it"...Gangnam Shinsegae shoppers: "Never experienced anything like this before"

[Financial News] On the 18th, as torrential rain accompanied by strong winds fell on Seoul, visitors to Shinsegae Department Store's Gangnam branch were left stranded in the underground parking garage, unable to leave.
According to Yonhap News on the 18th, Shinsegae Department Store's Gangnam branch in Seocho District, Seoul, restricted vehicles from leaving starting at 5 p.m. that day. The store was crowded with weekend shoppers, and the torrential rain caused severe congestion on nearby roads.
The department store repeatedly announced over its public-address system, "Departures from the parking lot are currently delayed due to severe traffic congestion on surrounding roads."
A customer in their 40s, identified as A, who said they had visited the department store that day, told Yonhap News, "I've been waiting for five hours since 4:40," and lamented, "I've lived nearby for more than 10 years, and this is the first time anything like this has happened."
They added, "I went home at 6 and came back at 8, but the cars were still in the same place," and, "The temperature in the parking garage is over 40 degrees, and it's a living hell."
A department store representative said, "There was no accident; traffic around Banpo is severe, and the rain came suddenly," and, "We are providing guidance on vehicles leaving in line with traffic conditions." The representative added, "We will make arrangements for vehicles to leave tomorrow without any additional charge."
Meanwhile, heavy rain accompanied by strong winds fell on Seoul that day, bringing a succession of rain-related incidents across the city.
A tree was toppled by a gust in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam District, and roads near Yeonsinnae Station in Eunpyeong District were flooded. Drainage appears to have been hampered when leaves blown down by strong winds clogged storm drains.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, as of 5 p.m. that day, a total of 129 cases of damage had been reported to the fire department, including 47 requests for drainage assistance, 21 reports of fallen trees and 60 other facility-safety cases. Heavy rain advisories for northeastern, northwestern and southwestern Seoul were lifted at 3:30 p.m. that day, and Seoul Metropolitan Government and district employees were urgently deployed to carry out drainage work.
[email protected] Kim Su-yeon Reporter