Heavy rain dampened the commutes of Koreans across the country as the work week began Monday.
Early in the morning, commuters in the capital city of Seoul were hit by a sudden shower of between 50 to 100 millimeters of rain, accompanied by strong winds. Over 150 millimeters of rain was expected for the rest of the day in parts of the region.
Around midday, the Korea Meteorological Administration released a heavy rain advisory in over 20 regions including Seoul and its satellite cities.
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A woman holds an umbrella in the rain as she walks through central Seoul, Monday (AP-Yonhap) |
The KMA issues a heavy rain advisory when over 70 mm of rainfall continue for six hours or 110 millimeters of rainfall are expected to occur within 12 hours.
A heavy rain warning, a stronger alert, is issued when over 110 mm of precipitation is forecast for six hours or over 180 mm of rain for 12 hours.
Over 240 mm of rain fell in Gangwon Province around lunchtime.
The downpour is expected to continue in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, western Gangwon and western coastal areas into the night, the KMA said.
In eastern Gangwon, and the Chungcheong, Gyeongsang and Jeolla provinces, 30 to 80 mm of rain is forecast to fall. The rest of Korea will see milder rainfall of 5 to 40 mm.
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(Yonhap) |
The KMA warned of the possibility of weakened ground giving way and potential landslides. Some areas could suffer flooding. Drivers are advised to reduce their speed due to low visibility. Ships are advised to stay in port.
As much as 150 mm of rain is forecast to continue Tuesday in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Gangwon and the Chungcheong provinces.
The rain is clearing the atmosphere of fine dust. Ozone concentration is also predicted to remain mild for Monday.
By Lim Jeong-yeo (
kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)
