Deadly Monsoon Rains in South Korea
Respond to landslides and floods caused by torrential monsoon rains in South Korea, leaving seven dead and three missing. Thousands evacuated due to an overflowing dam.The local media reports suggest a rise in the death toll as heavy rainfall under intense monsoon lashed the country for the third consecutive day, causing massive destruction due to flooding in both urban and rural areas. The Goesan Dam began overflowing from the downpour, submerging low-lying villages nearby. The interior ministry issued evacuation orders this morning to over 6,400 residents in the central county.
The seven people killed since Friday died in rain-related landslides and building collapse, it added. Two of the three people reported missing were swept away when a river overflowed in North Gyeongsang province, the ministry said. Moreover, the intense downpours caused power cuts across 4,000 households, with the landslides damaging residential areas, and destroying vegetation and infrastructure, Foreign Policy reported. The government issued a high-alert warning for more flooding to come this weekend as experts forecast as much as 100 millimetres of more showers.
Train Services Suspended, Landslide Incident
The Korea Railroad Corporation suspended all regular train services nationwide as of 2:00 pm (0500 GMT). However, KTX bullet trains continued to operate, with possible schedule adjustments. The ministry reported that slower operation might delay the bullet trains following a train derailment late on Friday. A landslide threw earth and sand over tracks in North Chungcheong province. During the incident, an engineer was injured, but no passengers were on board. South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo urged officials to respond to river overflows and landslides “preemptively”, and requested support for rescue operations from the ministry of defence.
Devastating climate change impacts the world as harsh weather and catastrophic monsoon rains affect different regions globally. Asia alone has reportedly witnessed over 100 deaths this month. The scientists say there is a bigger chance of heavier downpours across the globe due to climate change triggered by global warming, “because a warmer atmosphere holds more water”, a report published by BBC stated.
Last week, the World Meteorological Organization declared the onset of El Niño — a weather event where sea surface temperatures in the tropical eastern Pacific rise to at least 0.5°C above the long-term average — for the first time in seven years. This set the stage for a surge in global temperatures, as well as disruptive weather and climate patterns, the organisation said.
Source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1090744-south-korea-devastating-monsoon-rains-landslides-kill-seven
