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Record Rain Drenches Seoul
Seoul, Inchon and the surrounding Kyonggi province of South Korea were pelted Sunday morning with 200 millimeters of rain, causing loss of life and severe property damage.
Some 50 people are either dead or missing, and 15,000 houses were submerged by the rainwater.
Most damage occurred in Seoul, where 100 millimeters of rain descended between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. Sunday. That is the heaviest rainfall in a single hour since September 13, 1964, when 116 millimeters of rain were measured pelting Seoul.
The seasonal rain front is expected to move down to the southern part of South Korea on Monday. While the National Disaster Prevention and Countermeasures Headquarters said 36 had died and 14 were missing as of 9 p.m. Sunday, the figure is expected to rise since more flood damage is being reported.
Rain-swollen streams, mudslides and housing collapses took most of the toll, but 15 people died from electrocution by the conjunction of damaged streetlights and standing water.
Some 9,700 homes were flooded in Seoul's Eunpyeong, Yangcheon, Gangseo, Yeongdeungpo and Mapo districts.
Subway service on Seoul's Nos. 1, 2 and 3 lines was interrupted. The No. 7 line is likely to remain closed until Monday afternoon due to severe flooding at the Express Bus Terminal station.
Residents in low-lying areas complained angrily that the government had failed to plan properly.
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