Seoul: Heavy downpours provided relief from a prolonged drought while also causing localized damage in South Gyeongsang Province on Sunday, officials said.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the accumulated rainfall reached 125.5 millimeters in Geumnam as of 8:30 p.m. Sunday, based on data provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Other areas severely affected by the rain included Danseong with 112 mm, Jinju with 108.9 mm, and Mount Jiri with 105 mm of rainfall.
The heavy rainfall has offered much-needed relief to farms throughout the province. Declining reservoir storage levels had been a growing concern, and stunted crop growth was becoming increasingly problematic. The rain's arrival has alleviated some of these issues for local farmers.
However, the heavy rainfall has also prompted local forest authorities to go on high alert, particularly in mountainous areas where the risk of landslides is heightened. The Korea Forest Service has elevated the landslide risk alert in the province to "caution."
The KMA has issued warnings for the southern coastal areas and the Mount Jiri region, indicating that they could receive an additional 250 mm of rain by Monday. This has prompted provincial fire services to undertake 74 emergency responses on Sunday, including one rescue operation and 68 road and property support efforts. These incidents were mainly concentrated along the southern coast of the province.
In Tongyeong, firefighters rescued a mobility-impaired resident trapped in a flooded home at 6:08 p.m. Additionally, an emergency disaster text alert was sent out at 1:32 p.m. for parts of Sacheon after rainfall rates exceeded 50 mm per hour. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported so far.