We begin today again with the record-breaking downpours here in South Korea.
Many parts of the central region and the capital Seoul have been slammed with non-stop pouring rain overnight,… leading to road blocks, causing disruptions to morning commuters.
The Han River, which runs through the capital Seoul, has swollen as more dams are letting a massive amount of water out into the river.
As for the damage– already the nationwide death toll from the flash floods and landslides stands at 16, with 11 others still missing.
The water level on the Han River is now back up to over 10 meters.
A flood watch has been issued for valleys and streams near the Han River, the Daegok bridge area in Seoul and Seongnam city as of 6AM.
This is due to an enormous amount of water being released from the Paldang Dam which directly influences the level of Han River.
Paldang Dam has been discharging some 14-thousand tons of water a second.
With the surge, some of the major roads have been shut down again this morning, including parts of the Gangbyeon and Dongbu Expressways.
People are advised to use public transport rather than drive.
The water level on the Imjin River, which runs along the western part of the inter-Korean border, has also risen.
Emergency flood evacuation orders have been issued for Paju and Yeoncheon, the northernmost residential areas in South Korea.
Citizens living in lowland areas near Paju and Yeoncheon have evacuated as the water level of a bridge near the Imjin River soared on Thursday.
More than 53-hundred residents in the area have taken shelter in nearby schools, churches, or community halls.
Emergency services have also had to deal with several incidents.
Five people were trapped in a bus in Paju and had to be rescued by boats as the water rose up to the bus windows.
More flooding is expected with heavy downpours and North Korea releasing a massive amount of water from the upper part of the Imjin River.
A barometer for issuing a flooding alert in the region is the Biryong bridge, which saw the water level top 13.5 meters, the highest on record.
The previous record was 20 years ago when it hit around 11 meters.
SOURCE: Arirang , photo: YNA,YTN
