[Anchor]
Monsoon rain is returning to various regions today, July 16. Up to 80mm of rain is forecast for areas south of Chungcheong through tomorrow. With a series of collapse and rockfall accidents occurring due to the recent heavy rainfall, residents are advised to exercise caution.
Reporter Bae Seong-jae has the story.
[Reporter]
A large rock has fallen onto a vehicle, leaving the surrounding area in a state of chaos, as if it had been hit by a bomb.
Around 6:00 a.m. yesterday, a report was filed stating that a rock had rolled down from the mountain behind an apartment complex in Hongje-dong, Seoul, following a lightning strike.
[Apartment Resident: There was a sudden rumbling sound like thunder. Because the car alarms were blaring, I thought there had been a traffic accident.]
This is the scene of the accident.
Traces of rocks that tumbled down from the mountain are still visible.
Some rocks remain precariously perched on the retaining wall.
While two vehicles were damaged, there were fortunately no casualties. The local government plans to conduct a safety inspection to assess the risk of further collapses.
In Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, two parked vehicles were also damaged when the exterior wall of a three-story multi-unit house collapsed due to strong wind and rain.
Concerned about further collapses, the local government guided about 40 residents to temporary shelters.
From the collapse of a retaining wall at a residential complex in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, to various other incidents, the weakened ground caused by heavy rainfall has led to a series of collapses and rockfalls across the capital region.
Power outages also occurred in several places as trees, unable to withstand the strong wind and rain, fell onto utility poles and power lines.
Around 11:00 p.m. on July 14, a tree fell onto high-voltage lines in Bongcheon-dong, Seoul, causing a power outage for about 970 households. Around the same time, power was cut to about 150 households in an apartment complex in Sinjeong-dong, Seoul, and 950 households in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, before being restored overnight.
[Yoon Kyung-mi/Sinjeong-dong, Seoul: My baby was thirsty, but the water purifier suddenly stopped working, and the air conditioner and everything else turned off. We had to use portable fans.]
Although heavy rain warnings have been lifted for now, more proactive preparation is needed for nocturnal monsoon rains that tend to pour down during vulnerable hours.
(Video Editing: Lee Sang-min | VJ: Kim Hyung-jin, Noh Jae-min | Footage courtesy of Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters)
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