ANDONG - Heavy rainfall drenched central parts of South Korea on Monday, causing significant disruptions, including the stranding of villagers in Andong, and led the interior ministry to elevate the heavy rain alert to the "caution" level.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Chungcheong region's southern areas and North Gyeongsang Province's northern parts recorded rainfall rates up to 50 millimeters per hour. Forecasters issued heavy rain warnings and predicted that other central regions might receive approximately 30 mm of rain per hour throughout the day. In response to the severe weather, the disaster control authority activated the first stage of its three-stage response system. The "caution" alert represents the second-highest level in the country's four-tier system. In Andong, located 192 kilometers southeast of Seoul, heavy overnight rainfall trapped 18 residents in two rural villages early Monday. Emergency rescue operations managed to evacuate seven individuals, with ongoing efforts to reach the remaining affected residents.