More than 800 mm of rain fell: deadly floods and landslides hit South Korea

South Korea has been hit by powerful downpours that caused widespread flooding and landslides in the south of the country. At least one person was killed, there were injured people, and more than a hundred residents had to be evacuated, reports UNN , citing Yonhap and Reuters.

More than 800 mm of rain fell in some areas of the country over several days. 

Details

The most difficult situation developed in South Gyeongsang Province, particularly in the city of Geoje. According to meteorologists, about 805.7 mm of rain fell there from Saturday until Monday morning. In neighboring Tongyeong, 671.9 mm was recorded. In some places, rainfall intensity reached about 100 mm per hour.

On the morning of August 17, a landslide buried the lower floor of a private house in Geoje. Rescuers pulled three people from the building. One of the injured, who was in critical condition, was taken to hospital, where he died.

Another landslide occurred in Tongyeong. A person who was trapped under the debris was rescued. Other cases of landslides and flooded homes were also reported.

Due to the intense rainfall, rivers and streams burst their banks, and water flooded roads, residential buildings, and vehicles. The situation in coastal areas was further complicated by the tide.

In Geoje, emergency services raised their response level and involved about 180 emergency workers and specialized water-pumping equipment in dealing with the aftermath of the bad weather. According to local media, about 130 residents were evacuated in the city. Hundreds of reports of flooding and other consequences of the bad weather were received by emergency services.

The downpours also damaged social and transport infrastructure. Water entered at least 12 schools and kindergartens in Geoje and Tongyeong. Roads were closed in some areas and public transport operations were restricted. Two major shipbuilding companies in Geoje — Hanwha Ocean and Samsung Heavy Industries — advised employees to stay home because of the dangerous conditions on the roads.

The South Korean government activated the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters. Police, firefighters, and other services were instructed to mobilize the necessary resources to rescue people and ensure the operation of temporary shelters.

Meanwhile, meteorologists warned that up to another 150 mm of rain could fall in some areas, so the threat of new floods and landslides remains.

Context

Powerful downpours arrived in southern South Korea after a prolonged period of drought. From July 1 to August 15, only about 141.8 mm of rain fell in South Gyeongsang — approximately 19% of the climatic norm for this period.

The drought affected thousands of households and agricultural land. At the same time, the country experienced extreme heat in early August: on August 2, the temperature in Yangsan rose to 42.5 degrees Celsius.

We remind you

In July 2026, South Korea saw 10 people killed and another 9 go missing as a result of four days of heavy rain and landslides. The hardest-hit area was Sancheong County, where 793.5 mm of rain fell.