Two-day blizzard leaves deaths, chaos and closures in greater Seoul area

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Two-day blizzard leaves deaths, chaos and closures in greater Seoul area

Published: 28 Nov. 2024, 17:03 Updated: 28 Nov. 2024, 18:45

CHO JUNG-WOO
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Commuters wait at a bus stop in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, as snow falls on Thursday morning. [NEWS1]

Casualties were reported, flights canceled, businesses disrupted and schools closed on Thursday as heavy snowfall blanketed the greater Seoul area, including Gyeonggi and Incheon, for two consecutive days.

The heavy snow — which accumulated at least 40 centimeters (16 inches) in the greater Seoul area — led to several fatalities. In Yongin, Gyeonggi, a 67-year-old man died Thursday morning after being struck by a collapsing tree while snowplowing near a residence. Despite being rushed to a hospital, he succumbed to his injuries within an hour. Fire authorities believe the tree branch snapped under the weight of wet snow.

Another fatal incident occurred in Anseong, Gyeonggi, where a worker in their 70s was killed after the canopy at an auto parts manufacturing facility collapsed under the snow’s weight.

Workers carry out restoration work at a traditional market in Uiwang, Gyeonggi, after its ceiling collapsed around 1:30 a.m. Thursday due to record heavy snowfall in the greater Seoul area. [NEWS1]

The snowfall, the heaviest for November in Seoul in 117 years, caused significant disruptions to businesses and transportation.

Employees at major conglomerates such as Samsung Electronics were advised to work remotely or use personal leave. SK hynix implemented flexible working hours and provided "special leave" for those unable to commute.

Automaker Kia temporarily halted production at its Hwaseong factories after parts of the ceiling collapsed under the snow’s weight, according to local media reports.

Vehicles clog the roads near Suwon World Cup Stadium in Gyeonggi as snow blankets the area on Thursday morning. [YONHAP]

Air travel was also severely affected. By Thursday afternoon, nearly 450 flights nationwide had been canceled or delayed. The Korea Airports Corporation said that 33 domestic and international flights were canceled at 14 airports, while 157 others faced delays as of 3 p.m. Thursday. At Incheon International Airport, 157 flights were canceled and 101 postponed as of 1:30 p.m., according to the Incheon International Airport Corporation.

Power outages impacted parts of Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, and two apartment complexes in Giheung District, Yongin. Parts of Mapo District in western Seoul also experienced blackouts in the morning, affecting some 750 households, according to the Korea Electric Power Corporation.

Commuters walk near Sejong-daero in Jung District, central Seoul, on Thursday as heavy snow continues for a second consecutive day. [YONHAP]

Commuting chaos ensued during the morning rush hour, as buses and subways faced delays due to icy conditions and power supply issues.

Trains on subway line No. 1 and the Suin-Bundang Line were delayed by over 20 minutes due to power disturbances and snow clearance from the tracks. The Korea Railroad Corporation announced plans to add additional train services throughout the day, including six extra trips on lines No. 1 and 2 on the Gyeongui-Jungang Line.

A person skis near Gwanggyo Lake Park in Suwon, Gyeonggi, on Thursday morning, in photos shared on social media. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Morning rush hour chaos extended to roads, with icy conditions and stalled buses. In Gwanggyo, Gyeonggi, a person was seen skiing on car lanes, according to social media posts.

Schools across the region were also affected. According to the Gyeonggido Office of Education, 1,174 kindergartens, elementary schools, middle schools, high schools and special-education schools were closed Thursday. This accounts for 26 percent of the 4,520 schools in the area. In Seoul, three schools were fully closed, and 27 others had their operating hours adjusted, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) lifted heavy snow warnings for Seoul, Incheon and parts of Gyeonggi as of 10 a.m. Thursday, though the warnings remained in effect for the mountainous areas of Jeju Island until later in the day. Heavy snow warnings are issued when over 20 centimeters of snowfall is expected within 24 hours.

A bicycle is seen covered in snow in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, on Thursday morning. [YONHAP]

Southern Gyeonggi was forecasted to receive 3 to 8 centimeters of snow, while Seoul and Incheon were expected to see 1 to 3 centimeters throughout the day, according to the KMA. Snowfall in the southern inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon was anticipated to range from 3 to 10 centimeters, with Jeju Island's mountainous regions bracing for 5 to 15 centimeters.

By Thursday afternoon, snowfall had mostly ceased in Seoul.

However, the KMA forecast cloudy skies for parts of Chungcheong, Jeolla and North Gyeongsang, and rain or snow for Jeju on Friday. Temperatures are expected to plummet nationwide, with morning lows hovering between minus 8 degrees Celsius (17.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and 6 degrees. The morning low in Seoul is expected to drop as low as minus 4 degrees and minus 3 degrees in Chuncheon, Gangwon.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [[email protected]]