Southern South Korea hit by devastating downpours
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), 236 mm of rain fell in Sancheong of South Gyeongsang Province for one day by 9 a.m., followed by 228 mm in Buan of North Jeolla Province, 190.5 mm in Gunsan of North Jeolla, 143.6 mm in Gwangju and 145.1 mm in Daejeon, Yonhap reports.
In the southeastern province of South Gyeongsang, the per-hour precipitation reached 30 mm, while southwestern coasts, Incheon and five Yellow Sea islands close to the North Korean border were put under a strong wind advisory, the agency said.
In Hamyang of South Gyeongsang, 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, two men -- a farmer and an excavator engineer -- were found dead Monday morning after being swept away by rapids while conducting irrigation-ditch repair work.
Another two men, both in their 50s, were rescued after falling in a river while fishing in a boat in Hapcheon of South Gyeongsang.
In Daegu, 300 km southeast of Seoul, a 64-year-old man died after falling off a five-meter cliff while descending a mountain amid heavy downpours Sunday afternoon.
A pileup of five cars, including a 25-ton cargo truck and an SUV, occurred on a section of the Seoul-Busan expressway in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, at around 7:33 a.m. amid heavy rain, killing the SUV driver and injuring two, including the truck driver.
Flooding and destruction of roads, houses and farming facilities were also reported across the southern areas.
In South Jeolla Province, nine houses were flooded, while Gwangju reported floodings of five houses and a farm road.
In Busan, battered by 120 mm of rain and strong winds, one house was destroyed, many street trees were broken, several riverbed roads were inundated and seven roads were closed to traffic due to flooding.
In Gimje, North Jeolla Province, a motorist was rescued by emergency service workers after his car got stuck on a flooded road.
