Torrential Rains

[Anchor Lead]

Torrential rain pummeled the central regions of Korea overnight, including the Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon-do Province. More than 60 millimeters of rain poured down on Hongcheon and Pyeongchang in Gangwon-do Province in just one hour, flooding roads and homes and displacing many residents.

[Pkg]

Heavy machines move briskly to stop the water flow and remove the mud. But despite their efforts, the equipment could not stop the torrential rain and the road became flooded.

[Soundbite] Moon Chang-jun(Hongcheon County Office) : "A lot of rain and mud blocked the drains, causing the flood."

Starting at 9 PM last night, a record-breaking rainstorm battered Hongcheon with 63 millimeters of rain in just one hour. This home in the valley was swamped with mud. Frightened residents fled their homes to save their lives. The elevated water level at a river in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do Province caused the flooding of nearby homes and some 120 residents had to evacuate to the village center. Around 5:30 PM yesterday, a trailer and a passenger car collided inside the Suam Tunnel outside of Seoul, producing three casualties. Yesterday's torrential rains recorded 179.5 millimeters in Hongcheon and 153.5 millimeters in Hoengseong and Anheung. The heavy rainstorm has prompted authorities to open up the sluices at dams on the Hangang River to lower the water level.