Southern South Korea Faces Catastrophic Flooding: Record Rainfall Leaves Neighborhoods in Ruins

This week, entire neighborhoods in southern South Korea were left buried in mud and strewn with broken belongings as the region experienced its heaviest rainfall on record. Residents are now racing to address the damage before more rain arrives.
In Gwangju’s northern Shinan-dong district, a deluge of 426.4 millimeters fell within just 24 hours on Thursday. This marks the heaviest single-day rainfall the city has ever recorded, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.

The torrential downpour caused floors to collapse, roads to buckle, and small businesses to be gutted as water surged through homes and stores.

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

Approximately 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, including local officials, soldiers, and volunteers, worked tirelessly to remove piles of contaminated waste and assist elderly evacuees.

In Seosan, also located 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 has 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 have been forced to evacuate.

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