120mm of Torrential Rain in a Single Day: Flooding and Collapses Reported Nationwide

[Anchor]

Heavy rainfall across the country has led to a series of damages in various regions. In the Chungcheong area, where the downpour was particularly concentrated, urgent situations unfolded as roads and businesses were submerged, forcing residents to evacuate.

Reporter Yun Nara has the story.

[Reporter]

Rainwater cascades incessantly down a hillside road.

With nearly 120mm of torrential rain falling throughout yesterday (July 9), a hotel parking lot turned into a sea of water, and staff members worked continuously to bail out water that had seeped into the restaurant.

At a nearby shop, water from a swollen valley flooded the premises.

It is difficult to find any items that remain undamaged.

[Jegal Jeong-suk / Merchant affected by flooding: (Have you ever seen rain this heavy?) It is my first time. This is a valley area, and I am supposed to be running my business, but I am at a loss now.]

In Daejeon, two people trapped in a passenger car on a flooded road were rescued by firefighters. Additionally, debris washed down from a mountain blocked a road, leading to a temporary closure in both directions.

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In Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang Province, where over 170mm of rain fell over two days, roads next to swollen streams were submerged in muddy water, and piles of rocks the size of soccer balls, washed down from the river, were left behind.

Yesterday morning, around 10:00 AM, a man in his 70s who was walking along the Namwon Stream in Yeongju was swept away by the current and went missing.

[Oh Beom-sik / Chief of Yeongju Fire Station: We received the initial report that he had slipped while briefly coming out to the riverside with a social worker.]

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In Gangwon Province, which was hit by a water bomb of up to 168mm, 20 tons of rockfall occurred on National Route 59 in Jeongseon County, causing a full closure of the road for a time. In Wanju, North Jeolla Province, a 1-ton truck skidded on the wet road and overturned, leaving the driver in his 70s seriously injured.

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Train operations were also disrupted by the heavy rain. As of yesterday afternoon, 26 high-speed trains, including KTX, and 32 regular trains were delayed.

It was reported that KTX trains were delayed by up to 80 minutes, while regular trains faced delays of up to 150 minutes.

Minister of the Interior and Safety Yun Ho-jung held a meeting to inspect the heavy rain situation with 11 central government ministries and 9 provincial governments, ordering strengthened responses to the rain, including the preemptive closure of dangerous areas and the proactive evacuation of residents.

(Video coverage: Joo Beom, Kim Min-cheol, Song Chang-geon (TJB), Lee Jeong-woo (TBC) | Video editing: Won Hyeong-hee | Footage provided by: Jeonbuk Fire Service Headquarters, Gangwon Fire Service Headquarters)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.