More than 800 mm of rain pummels Geoje, southeastern region; 1 killed in landslide

Geoje, a city located more than 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, experienced an unprecedented downpour over the weekend, with 805.7 mm of rain falling from Saturday through 8 a.m. Monday. This torrential rainfall triggered a devastating landslide in Geoje, resulting in the tragic death of one resident. Tongyeong, another city in the province, received 671.9 mm of rain during the same timeframe.

The heavy rain warnings were issued in five areas of the province, including Geoje and Tongyeong, while lower-level heavy rain advisories were also in effect across many parts of the region. The intense downpours caused widespread damage, including a landslide that struck an apartment building at 4:42 a.m. Monday in Geoje. Despite the rescue efforts of police and firefighters, who managed to save three residents, one person succumbed to cardiac arrest and later died in a hospital.

The heavy rain led to the overflow of several streams in Geoje, causing roads to flood and another landslide that damaged a house, though no casualties were reported in this incident. As of Monday morning, both Geoje and Tongyeong faced relentless rainfall, with hourly rates reaching up to 100 mm in some areas. The weather agency projected an additional 150 mm of rain in certain parts of the province throughout the day.