Gwangju’s Sandong Bridge, a preserved Korean War battle site, is now at risk of collapse after torrential rain caused visible cracks and support failures. Local officials have restricted access and are conducting urgent assessments to prevent further damage. (Yonhap)
Gwangju’s Sandong Bridge, a preserved Korean War battle site, is now at risk of collapse after torrential rain caused visible cracks and support failures. Local officials have restricted access and are conducting urgent assessments to prevent further damage. (Yonhap)
A factory floor in northern Gwangju gave way after Thursday’s extreme rainfall, which brought a record-high 426.4 millimeters of precipitation to the city in a single day. (Yonhap)
A factory floor in northern Gwangju gave way after Thursday’s extreme rainfall, which brought a record-high 426.4 millimeters of precipitation to the city in a single day. (Yonhap)
Mud and damaged belongings cover the floor of a shop in Gwangju’s Buk-gu area on Friday following severe flooding on Thursday. (Yonhap)
Mud and damaged belongings cover the floor of a shop in Gwangju’s Buk-gu area on Friday following severe flooding on Thursday. (Yonhap)

Entire neighborhoods were left buried in mud and strewn with broken belongings this week as parts of southern South Korea endured their heaviest rainfall on record, with residents now racing to address the damage before more rain arrives.

In Gwangju’s northern Shinan-dong district, a deluge of 426.4 millimeters fell in just 24 hours on Thursday, the heaviest single-day rainfall the city has ever seen, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.

Floors collapsed, roads buckled and small businesses were gutted as torrents of water surged through homes and stores.

On Friday morning, residents returned to clear what they could. Restaurants were reduced to debris fields, the streets were lined with rain-drenched appliances, and the ground beneath at least one bridge had given way.

Workers clear piles of flood-damaged items from storefronts in Dangjin’s traditional market on Friday following heavy rain earlier in the week. (Yonhap)
Workers clear piles of flood-damaged items from storefronts in Dangjin’s traditional market on Friday following heavy rain earlier in the week. (Yonhap)
Piles of soaked furniture and waste are removed from shops in Dangjin’s traditional market on Friday after torrential rains flooded the area. (Yonhap)
Piles of soaked furniture and waste are removed from shops in Dangjin’s traditional market on Friday after torrential rains flooded the area. (Yonhap)

Roughly 250 kilometers northwest of Gwangju, the coastal city of Dangjin faced similar destruction. Waist-high water swept through its traditional market, submerging kitchens, medicine shops and seafood stalls.

At daybreak on Friday, shopkeepers were scrubbing walls and rinsing salvaged goods, but much of the damage was beyond repair. Cleanup teams included local officials, soldiers and volunteers, who worked to remove piles of contaminated waste and assist elderly evacuees.

In Seosan, also in South Chungcheong Province, more than 160 people from city offices, the military and community centers helped disinfect flooded homes in rural areas. Dozens of people remain displaced, many unable to return due to mobility issues or unsafe conditions.

The storm left a deadly mark. According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, four people have died and two are missing, including one person swept away near Gwangju’s Shinan Bridge. As of Friday morning, over 5,600 people across 59 cities and counties had been forced to evacuate.

The KMA has warned of additional heavy rain through Saturday, forecasting up to 300 millimeters in parts of the southern and central regions.


mjh@heraldcorp.com