Flights delayed as monsoon rains batter regions nationwide over weekend

Social Affairs

Published: 30 Jun. 2024, 17:09 Updated: 30 Jun. 2024, 18:40

Flights delayed as monsoon rains batter regions nationwide over weekend

An arrival board at Gimpo International Airport informs passengers of delays and cancellations in flight schedules on Sunday as monsoon rain and strong winds disrupted flight operations in the country’s southern regions such as Busan and Jeju Island. [YONHAP]

Houses and roads were flooded, planes were grounded and hundreds of households suffered power outages as heavy monsoon rains accompanied by wind gusts battered the nation over the weekend.

Eighteen domestic flights at Jeju International Airport — 10 arrivals and eight departures — have been canceled as of 3 p.m. Sunday due to strong wind advisories. Some 80 international and domestic flights experienced delays.

According to the national weather agency, Mount Halla on Jeju Island received a rainfall of 338.5 millimeters (13.3 inches) between Saturday and noon of Sunday. Gurye County in South Jeolla recorded an accumulated precipitation of 205.5 millimeters and Mount Jiri in South Gyeongsang saw a rainfall of 199 millimeters.

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) issued strong wind advisories in southeastern coastal regions as of 3 p.m. on Sunday. Also, a heavy rain advisory and warnings are in effect on Jeju Island.

In Jeju, wind is expected to blow at the speed of 20 meters (65 feet) every one to three seconds, with downpours forecast to continue until Monday morning.

Visitors holding umbrellas walk on a mountain trail in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, on Sunday. A strong wind advisory was issued by weather authorities as heavy monsoon rain battered the island. [NEWS1]

Dozens of damage reports followed in the country’s southern regions.

The emergency response authority in South Gyeongsang received 42 damage reports between Saturday and the morning of Sunday.

Over 900 households were affected by an electricity blackout in Changwon, South Gyeongsang, at around 7:37 a.m. on Sunday. A tree toppled by strong wind severed cables and disrupted the power supply.

In neighboring Busan, 45 damage reports were filed.

The city’s first responders received a report regarding a fallen outer wall of a building in Seo District at 6:56 a.m. Sunday. Also, a steel reinforcement bar at construction site in Nam District collapsed due to rainfall at 2:11 a.m. the same day.

Residential buildings, markets and karaoke facilities were flooded in multiple districts in Busan.

On Saturday, maritime authorities in South Jeolla closed 32 routes and suspended operations for 41 vessels. Air traffic control at Yeosu Airport delayed and canceled three arrival flights.

First responders conduct safety measures as trees were toppled on the roads after heavy rainfall hammered the area in Daegu on Saturday. [DAEGU FIRE HEADQUARTERS]

The country’s central and northern regions were also hit by monsoon rain, with precipitation in Gangwon and the capital areas recorded at 121.5 and 79.5 millimeters, respectively.

On Saturday evening, eight people in Incheon were rescued in stuck elevators after a fallen tree interfered with an electricity service wire and caused a power outage. The outage cut the electricity supply to 110 households in Gyeyang District for two hours and 20 minutes.

Four residents in Gangwon evacuated early Sunday morning as spilled soil from a nearby construction site slid into their houses.

Also, a foreigner in his 40s who was riding a bicycle alongside a stream in Gapyeong County in Gyeonggi was rescued after getting isolated by a flash flooding at around 5:50 a.m.

In Daejeon, a roadside tree collapsed onto a parked vehicle at 3:49 a.m. on the same day.

No casualties have been reported as of 3 p.m. Sunday.

The KMA forecasts that the country will see cloudy skies on Monday, and the southern regions are likely to have between 30 and 100 millimeters of rainfall starting in the late afternoon on the same day.

This will continue until Tuesday.