RESIDENTS NATIONWIDE EVACUATE AMID HEAVY RAINS

[Anchor Lead]

Residents in low-lying areas had to evacuate overnight due to heavy monsoon rains that hit the nation. Roads and railways were also damaged by the downpours. Here is more about the regions battered by the seasonal heavy rains.

[Pkg]

​A torrent of muddy water rapidly flows through houses. Roads and farmland are nowhere to be seen. The community center, which used to serve as a shelter, is also flooded. The heavy downpours caused rockslides, making the village seem buried in stone debris. Due to the powerful current, water level has risen to the edge of the embankment, looking as if it's about to overflow. With the record amount of heavy monsoon rains in north Chungcheongbuk-do Province, residents of low-lying areas had to quickly evacuate before dawn.

[Soundbite] LEE NAM-SOO(DANYANG, CHUNGCHEONGBUK-DO PROV.) : "When she opened the door at 4 a.m. water gushed in. She crossed the bridge and came to my house barefoot."

They take shelter in a community center, but safety is not guaranteed.

[Soundbite] YOON YONG-HAN(CHUNGJU, CHUNGCHEONGBUK-DO PROV.) : "The embankment might collapse. So this community center is dangerous. We will have to evacuate again. I packed all my belongings."

The flash flood destroyed a store, leaving the owner helpless.

[Soundbite] STORE OWNER(CHUNGJU, CHUNGCHEONGBUK-DO PROV.) : "With swelling water levels, red water rose to this point. All my merchandise was soaked and I am frustrated."

A road was severed by the downpours and a car is hanging from its edge. As an overflowing stream has flooded roads, a large number of sections were suddenly destroyed and closed. Drivers turned to detour routes but they are also dangerous as the ground weakens.

[Soundbite] KIM SUN-MYONG : "It was really, really dangerous. There were five people in the car. We remained silent so our friend who is driving won't panic. Many parts of roads sank and were littered with fallen rocks."

Multiple sections of railways were also submerged, forcing authorities to suspend services. The heavy rains immediately flooded and wreaked havoc on farms.

[Soundbite] EOM SANG-YEOL(DANYANG, CHUNGCHEONGBUK-DO PROV.) : "The water suddenly swelled in an hour after 7 in the morning. Everything was swept away."

On Sunday alone, the provincial fire and disaster headquarters received about 200 reports of heavy rain damage, such as flooding and rockslide.