[Anchor]

A landslide has occurred on Bukhansan Mountain following a period of heavy rain. Fortunately, there were no casualties as the hiking trails were closed to the public. Experts warn that the risk of landslides and rockfalls is even higher after the rain stops.

Reporter Park Seyong has the story.

[Reporter]

A long scar is visible where soil and rocks were swept down from the mountain peak.

The landslide occurred between Nojeokbong Peak and Yaksuam Hermitage on Bukhansan Mountain around 11:00 a.m. the day before yesterday. It tore through a mountainside spanning 10 meters in width and covering a total area of 4,000 square meters.

The debris, which originated from Nojeokbong Peak, slid down for 400 meters, stopping just 30 meters away from a hiking trail.

At the time of the landslide, the trail was closed, preventing any potential casualties.

A heavy rain warning had been issued for Bukhansan Mountain the day before the landslide, with 146 millimeters of rain falling over two days, including a peak intensity of 57 millimeters per hour.

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Around 3:30 p.m. the day before yesterday, a 3-ton rock rolled down toward a resting area frequently used by hikers near Nammaetap Pagoda on Gyeryongsan Mountain in South Chungcheong Province.

[Voice: Kwon Wook-young / Director of Gyeryongsan National Park Office: If hikers had been resting there at that time, it could have easily led to a major casualty.]

There have already been 10 rockfall incidents in national parks this year, surpassing the total number of incidents from last year in just seven months.

Both the landslide on Bukhansan Mountain and the rockfall on Gyeryongsan Mountain occurred after the heavy rain had passed.

[Voice: Lee Jung-young / Manager of Disaster Management Department at Korea National Park Service: During the summer rainy season, rock formations and soil become extremely unstable. It is dangerous when it rains heavily, but for several days after the rain stops, the ground remains saturated with water, posing a very high risk of landslides and rockfalls.]

An analysis of landslides in the Xinjiang region by Chinese researchers also showed that the period between 12 and 24 hours after the rain stops is the most dangerous.

With rain forecast in various parts of the country this week, extra caution is required when hiking, even if the rain has temporarily stopped.

(Video reporting: Yoon Hyung, Video editing: Chae Cheol-ho, Footage courtesy of Korea National Park Service)