Bridge, highway closed after torrential shower overnight in Seoul

Social Affairs

Published: 23 Jul. 2024, 11:28 Updated: 23 Jul. 2024, 11:42

Bridge, highway closed after torrential shower overnight in Seoul

Police block vehicles from entering Jamsu Bridge in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

Short but intense rain showers hammered the greater Seoul area overnight Tuesday, dumping up to 66 millimeters (2.6 inches) of rain per hour, leading to road closures and power outages.

The Seoul Jamsu Bridge, a submersible bridge across the Han River, and a section of Olympic-daero, Seoul's eight-lane highway, were closed as of 9:37 a.m. and 9:50 a.m., respectively, due to the Han River’s swollen water levels. Olympic-daero closure was lifted as of 11 a.m.

The closures followed heavy downpours early Tuesday morning, with rainfall rates of around 30 millimeters per hour, that caused the increase of discharge from the Paldang Reservoir, according to a Seoul Metropolitan Government official.

About 3,179 tons of water per second is being discharged into the Han River, the official said.

Earlier at 8:42 a.m., pedestrian access to the Jamsu Bridge was blocked as the water level of the Han River surpassed 5.50 meters.

From midnight to 7 a.m. on Tuesday, some areas in Gyeonggi experienced over 100 millimeters of rainfall, with Pocheon receiving 147.5 millimeters and Dongducheon 124.5 millimeters.

The downpour was mainly concentrated in southern Gyeonggi, including a maximum rainfall of 66.0 millimeters per hour in Pocheon, 55.5 millimeters in Paju and 47.0 millimeters in Dongducheon.

As of 10 a.m. Tuesday, no casualties from the torrential downpour had been reported.

Gyeonggi firefighting authorities said 75 pieces of equipment and 298 personnel were mobilized from 5 p.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday, carrying out 74 activities, including drainage and removal of fallen trees and debris.

At 3 a.m., authorities drained a road near Kia Bridge in Majang-myeon, Icheon, where an 80-meter-long section was submerged.

In Namyangju, a power outage affected 20 households in the Deunggyewon area after a tree fell due to strong winds at 1 a.m. The power was later restored.

The provincial government reported 94 instances of minor damage as of 7 a.m. Tuesday, including nine cases of flooded houses, 61 road obstructions and 10 flooded parking lots.

Following the heavy rain, entrance to five roads, 1,425 riverside trails, 31 waterside parking lots, 24 bridges, 82 valleys, amusement parks, hiking trails and 53 fishing spots were closed in the province as of 5 a.m.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters activated the lowest level of emergency response in the province, and as of 7 a.m. Tuesday, heavy rain advisories were issued for eight cities and counties in the province, including Osan, Pyeongtaek, Yongin, Icheon, Anseong, Yeoju, Gwangju and Yangpyeong.

BY WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]