Heavy rain in S. Korea forces 1,500 to evacuate, causes widespread damage

Over 1,500 people across South Korea were forced to evacuate during three days of relentless downpours as heavy rain wreaked havoc on homes, roads and infrastructure.

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The heavy rain, which lasted from the afternoon of Sept 19 to Sept 21, began from Jeju Island and along the southern coast, before spreading across the country.

Along the southern and western coasts, rain fell at a rate of about 100mm per hour, while the southern regions and North and South Chungcheong provinces saw 50mm to 80mm of rain per hour.

The coastal areas of the North and South Gyeongsang provinces and mountainous regions of Jeju Island recorded maximum rainfall exceeding 500mm. The southern regions, Jeju Island, Chungcheong provinces and eastern Gangwon province saw cumulative rainfall of around 200mm to 300mm, with many areas reaching extreme levels.