Heavy snow hits eastern Korea

The heavy snowfalls affecting the country’s east coast are to continue until the early hours of Monday, the Korea Meteorological Administration said Sunday.

The eastern part of Gangwon Province, which continued to be under the heavy snow advisory throughout Sunday, is expected to be hardest hit, with some areas receiving as much as 30 centimeters of additional snow.

Eastern areas of the country in Gangwon and North Gyeongsang provinces have been affected by heavy snow since Thursday.

Gangwon Province has been heaviest hit with as much as 72 centimeters of snow falling in Jinburyeong ― the mountain path linking Inje and Goseong counties ― as of 9:30 a.m. Sunday.

Urban areas in the province were also affected. As of Sunday, snowfall in the coastal cities of Gangneung and Samcheok stood at 55 centimeters and 37 centimeters, respectively.

The snow has closed off access to mountains in the region, and isolated a number of villages in mountainous sections of Gangwon Province. Bus services in five cities and countries in the province, including Gangneung and Sokcho, have been scaled back due to the snow. In addition, a number of schools in eastern coastal areas are considering temporary closures or shortened classes.

Northern coastal areas of North Gyeongsang Province are also expected to be further affected. The snowfall in the province is to be concentrated in mountainous and coastal areas, with between 10 and 30 centimeters expected in some areas.

Other parts of the country were also forecast to see snowfall overnight Sunday.

Heavy snow, however, is to be limited to the eastern coastal areas with no more than 5 centimeters of snow expected in other areas.

Regions expected to see snow overnight include western Gangwon, northern Chungcheong and inland parts of North Gyeongsang Province.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)