More flights grounded, almost 100 evacuated as nationwide downpour continues

Heavy downpour grounded airplanes, stranded ferries and displaced almost 100 people across the country on Saturday. 

Three flights connecting Jeju to Seoul and three flights out of Yeosu Airport were canceled due to weather conditions, according to a report from Newsis. Nine ferries were also stranded in the East Sea and off the southern coast. 

A total of 79 people from 55 households nationwide evacuated overnight after forest authorities issued landslide warnings due to downpours that battered the Chungcheong and Jeolla regions, broadcaster SBS reported.

In South Jeolla, six trees collapsed, and four flooding reports were filed. Some roads were closed as preventative safety measures. 

Fire authorities had conducted more than 550 safety operations — including rescue missions and drainage assistance provisions —  as of noon on Saturday.

A wall collapse and the full destruction of a greenhouse were reported in Gyeonggi and South Chungcheong respectively. 

The state-run Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said the city of Iksan, North Jeolla, had received 164 millimeters (6.45 inches) of rainfall since Thursday 9 p.m. Bonghwa County in North Gyeongsang received 134.5 millimeters over the same period. Cheongyang County in South Chungcheong recorded 192 millimeters over the three days. 

Seoul’s rainfall measured 52.1 millimeters. 

The state weather agency said heavy rain advisories had been placed on the southern Chungcheong, Jeolla and inland Gyeongsang regions. It noted that southern regions are likely to receive around 30 millimeters of rainfall per hour, possibly with strong gusts, thunder and storms. 

Heavy rain advisories are issued when rainfall is forecast to exceed 60 millimeters in three hours or  110 millimeters in 12 hours. 

The KMA forecast that Gwangju and South Jeolla would receive 50 to 120 millimeters of additional rain through Sunday. 

The Korea Forest Service issued landslide warnings across North Jeolla and North Gyeongsang on Saturday. It also closed some 400 trails in 16 national parks, including Mount Jiri in North Jeolla and Mount Bukhan in Seoul.

Kim Min-jae, vice minister of the interior and safety, said Saturday that the government would maintain emergency response system "until the downpour ends and minimize casualties” during a safety-related meeting. 

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]