Torrential downpour batters North Jeolla, South Chungcheong; 1 dead in flooded elevator

SEOUL, July 10 (Yonhap) -- Torrential rainfall battered South Korea's southern regions Wednesday, leaving one person dead in a flooded elevator, authorities said.

Parts of North Jeolla Province experienced a record downpour starting early Wednesday morning, with the island of Eocheong near Gunsan, 178 kilometers south of Seoul, receiving a record 146 millimeters of rain per hour shortly before 1 a.m.

The nearby village of Hamna recorded 125.5 mm of rain per hour at one point while other cities in the region experienced accumulated precipitation ranging from 104.5 mm to 255 mm between midnight and 6 a.m.

Heavy torrential rain also pounded parts of South Chungcheong Province, with Seocheon, 166 km south of Seoul, recording 111.5 mm of downpour per hour at one point in the early morning.

Heavy rain flooded a studio apartment building in Nonsan, South Chungcheong, at about 3 a.m., leaving one man dead in an inundated elevator. Rescuers retrieved the body and were trying to confirm his identity.

In Wanju of North Jeolla, rescuers evacuated 18 villagers who were stranded due to a swollen stream, with some waiting on rooftops for help.

As of 6 a.m., North Jeolla had reported 17 flooded houses and 16 flooded roads while South Chungcheong received 835 reports of rain damage or emergency calls due to the downpour between midnight and 5 a.m.

pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)