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Heavy Rains Hit Victims of Previous Wildfires

Dong Eunyeong

Published : Jul 20, 2026 6:14 AM

Video

[Anchor]

Heavy rains that poured over the southern regions during the weekend have caused a series of damages. In particular, as the rain was concentrated in the Gyeongsangbuk-do region, residents who lost their homes in wildfires last year had to face flooding before their wounds had even healed.

Reporter Dong Eunyeong has the story.

[Reporter]

A temporary housing unit stands precariously, tilted at a 45-degree angle.

Puddles have formed in the yard, and the inside of the house has been covered in mud.

This is a temporary housing complex in Gwimi 1-ri, Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, where residents who lost their homes in last year's wildfires are staying.

The heavy rain swept through before the scars of the fire had even begun to heal.

[Shin Hyo-seop/Resident of Iljik-myeon, Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do: The door wouldn't open, perhaps because of the water. So I opened the window and jumped out, and the water was this high. My neighbor and I held hands and went to higher ground...]

The situation is no different in Uiseong-gun.

Roads have collapsed to the point where they are unrecognizable, and utility poles have fallen helplessly.

Residents who evacuated to the village hall are left feeling uncertain about when they will be able to return home.

[Kim Si-cheon/Resident of Gugye 2-ri, Uiseong, Gyeongsangbuk-do: With the electricity and water cut off, we can't even eat...]

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters has received a total of 827 reports of rain-related damage, including flooded homes and roads.

While there were no casualties, heavy rain poured mainly across the southern regions, with 65.5mm per hour in Andong and up to 46mm in Uiseong. In the Gyeongsangbuk-do region alone, 321 households, totaling 420 people, had to evacuate in an emergency.

The government has decided to maintain the second stage of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters' response system for the time being to manage the damage and prevent further incidents.

(Reported by Lee Jung-woo, TBC | Video by Choi Jin-hwa)