Snow collapses devastate farms and claim lives

[Anchor]

In the Gangwon and Chungcheong regions, many facilities could not withstand the snow that accumulated over two days.

As barns and cultivation facilities collapsed one after another, there were casualties among people, livestock, and crops.

If you are in areas with heavy snow, please be cautious.

Reporter Jo Hyu-yeon reports.

[Report]

The roof of the barn has completely caved in, and the rebar is completely bent.

Under the collapsed roof, 76-year-old Mr. Seo, the owner of the barn, was found dead.

[Lee Soo-jung/Fire Chief, Hoengseong Fire Station: "There was one person trapped underneath. It was a situation where they were compressed in a narrow space."]

Livestock damage also followed.

As the barn collapsed under the weight of the snow, over 30 dairy cows were trapped, and some died.

[Kim Ok-boon/Gangwon Province, Hoengseong County: "The electricity went out. It’s driving me mad and I don’t know what to do at all."]

["Meh! Move! Move!"]

A herd of goats is being herded through snow that is piled up to the knees.

As the place they lived in collapsed under the heavy snowfall, over 500 goats lost their shelter from the cold.

[Jo Hyun-jong/Goat Farm Owner: "The snow and rain came together, and the weight was tremendous."]

The ginseng field's shade cloth collapsed entirely, and a grape greenhouse collapsed, breaking trees that had been cultivated for over 20 years.

The affected farmers are now facing a dire situation for their livelihoods.

[Park Eun-sook/Affected Farmer: "I’ve been farming for 27 years, but I never thought the snow would come this much and cause the greenhouse to collapse, really."]

During nighttime work, over 70 workers had to evacuate urgently when the ceiling of a factory collapsed.

Disaster authorities have urged people to avoid approaching temporary structures where snow has accumulated, as this snow is heavier due to moisture.

This is KBS News, Jo Hyu-yeon reporting.