Thursday, July 28, 2011

It's not raining, it's flooding

We have had more than a year's worth of rainfall in the past month. Half of it seems to have fallen in the past two days, and more is falling today. When the guerilla rains started most thought it would last for about a day but it has been storming nonstop, complete with thunder and lightning.

The first day I cancelled my evening appointment and hurried home to avoid the pelting rain. The next day I was on the highways of outskirt Seoul, while the city fell deeper and deeper into water. Worst rain in 100 years, they're saying.





The Sadang area where I was waiting for the bus in the video clip turned into this the very next day:


Subway stations are flooding, cars are underwater.


Landslides are happening, causing many casualties. This is in Daejeon; it's not only Seoul, the whole nation is under a storm cloud.


The extent of the damages are staggering. This photo says it all:



Flood warnings are still effective nationwide as I write. The National Emergency Management Agency has safety guidelines on their site for emergencies like this (English version) :
http://eng.nema.go.kr/sub/cms4/4_2.asp

Among all the guidelines, I'd like to emphasize: "Avoid going near street lights, traffic signal lights, and power lines."  And even if it means going a long way 'round, try not to wade in water even if the water is shallow. You never know where an electric current may be.

All the major TV channels are broadcasting special weather reports all day. Be sure to tune in and be safe.

Photos from Yonhap News: http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/

5 comments:

Corrisande said...

Scary, isn't it?
But it seems to be an international problem this year - Germany had the coldest, rainiest July ever since weather has been written down. We had real winterweather last weekend - but today it's suddenly near 30°C. Really strange...

Cibon said...

The Greenland ice cores of past periods of weather change seem to show that when climate changes, it doesn't just change to the new state, but swings back and forth for a while before it settles down in the new condition.

Lord willing we will not be TOO entertained!

Euphemia Toong said...

Stay safe!!

Anonymous said...

Stay safe!
It seems more and more the weather in unseasonable. Recently in England it hasn't rained for quite a long time here all the fields are drying out- many crops were ruined this year and yet it's been cold for August most days.

Hope everyone in seoul is ok and that it passes soon!

Suzy in Seoul said...

Thanks everyone for the comments. The rains have subsided but I admit I don't want to see any more for the remainder of the year!
And yes, weather all around the world seems to be totally wacky these days. Mother Earth is fed up with us humans for sure.