- Intense downpours cause power cuts across 4,000 households.
- Over 100 people reportedly died in Asia’s torrential rains this month.
- Govt calls on military to actively join in rescue activities.
SEOUL: At least seven persons were killed, as many were injured and three were reported missing due to floods and landslides prompting evacuation of over a thousand people as the torrential rains continue to batter South Korea for a third day.
The world seems to be hit by the effect of devastating climate change as different regions across the globe witness harsh weather and catastrophic monsoon rains, with more than 100 people reportedly dead in Asia alone this month.
The intense downpours caused power cuts across 4,000 households, with the landslides damaging residential areas, destroying vegetation and infrastructure, Foreign Policy reported.
The government issued a high-alert warning of more flooding this weekend as experts forecast as much as 100 millimetres of more showers.
The South Korean Ministry of Interior and Safety said that over 1,560 people had been evacuated nationwide, and the number was likely to rise as the water overflew a dam in the North Chungcheong province.
As of 9am, more than 2,700 tonnes of water per second was flowing into Goesan Dam, the maximum it can discharge.
Several low-lying villages near the dam were submerged whereas roads and bridges connecting the villages were cut off trapping some residents in their homes.
According to provincial authorities, the local governments’ evacuation orders covered more than 7,000 people at various times.
A slow train derailed late on Friday when a landslide threw earth and sand over tracks in North Chungcheong province, the transport ministry said. The engineer was injured, but no passengers were on board.
Korea Railroad Corp said it was halting all slow trains and some bullet trains, while other bullet trains might be delayed due to slower operation, as landslides, track flooding and falling rocks threatened safety.
In a meeting with government agencies on Saturday, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo called for the military to actively join in rescue activities and work with government officials to mobilise equipment and manpower.
As the world witnesses devastating weather, 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.
Additional input from Reuters.