▲ Milducheon Stream in Inju-myeon is at risk of overflowing as torrential rains of over 60 millimeters per hour pour down in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, in the early hours of the 22nd.
Heavy downpours of around 60 millimeters per hour battered Asan and Cheonan in South Chungcheong Province early today (the 22nd), causing widespread damage including flooded homes and residents evacuating as rivers threatened to overflow.
According to the city of Asan, as the Milducheon Stream in Inju-myeon neared the brink of overflowing, a total of nine people, including seven residents from Mildu 1-ri and two from Mowon-ri, evacuated to the main auditorium on the second floor of the nearby administrative welfare center.
Ten residents in Asan 1-ri, Yeongin-myeon, also evacuated to a nearby church and convenience store due to flooded homes before returning home.
Two residents from landslide-prone areas such as Sangseong-ri and Sinha-ri in Yeongin-myeon likewise evacuated to the village community hall.
Today's heavy rain resulted in 14 cases of flooded homes, 20 cases of flooded roads, 6 fallen trees, 4 bridge closures, 1 intersection closure, and 1 landslide.
In Cheonan, centered around Seonghwan-eup, torrential rains of around 80 millimeters also triggered damage such as flooded roads.
According to the South Chungcheong Fire Headquarters, a total of 42 storm damage reports were filed across the northern region of South Chungcheong from midnight to 6:30 a.m. today, including 5 requests for rescue.
Most reports involved flood damage and fallen trees, concentrated in the Cheonan and Asan areas.
Reports poured in from around 4:00 a.m. today stating that roads in various areas were inundated, including the underpass of Yeomchi Interchange in Yeomchi-eup, Asan, and a national highway in Yeongin-myeon.
Police and firefighting authorities rescued a total of eight people, including vehicle drivers and passengers trapped on the flooded roads.
No casualties from the heavy downpour have been reported so far.
As of 5:00 a.m. today, recorded precipitation reached 125 millimeters in Asan and 23 millimeters in Jiksan, Cheonan. Intense rain was concentrated over a short period, with Asan recording 62 millimeters per hour and Jiksan in Cheonan recording 21.5 millimeters per hour.
Heavy rain warnings previously issued for Asan and Cheonan were all lifted at 6:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., respectively.
The South Chungcheong Provincial Government temporarily elevated its Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters to Phase 2 to respond to the situation, and is maintaining a round-the-clock response system even after wrapping up emergency duties at 8:00 a.m.
The province instructed cities and counties to step up controls and inspections on riverside walking trails, riverside parking lots, underpasses, and landslide-prone areas, and to preemptively evacuate residents if any signs of danger are detected.
South Chungcheong Governor Park Soo-hyun held an emergency inspection on the heavy rain response and instructed, "Place the lives and safety of provincial residents as the top priority and concentrate all capabilities to prevent even a single casualty."
(Photo provided by Asan City, Yonhap News)
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