Key Facts
• July 20: Authorities report 1 new death, 4 missing due to heavy rain.
• Total death toll from ongoing rainfall since last week reaches 11.
• Early July 20: 170 mm of rain recorded in Gapyeong County, 70 km east of Seoul.
• Landslide in Gapyeong collapses a house, killing a woman in her 70s.
• Most fatalities occurred in Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang Province, with nearly 800 mm of rain since July 16.
• South Korea typically prepares for monsoon rains in July, but recent rainfall was unusually intense.
• Record-breaking hourly rainfall observed in southern regions.
• Scientists link extreme weather events globally to climate change.
Summary
South Korea continues to face severe impacts from heavy rainfall, with the death toll rising to 11 as of July 20. Authorities reported one new fatality and four missing individuals in Gapyeong County, where 170 mm of rain fell early in the day. A landslide in the area caused a house to collapse, killing a woman in her 70s. Most of the casualties have been reported in Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang Province, which has experienced nearly 800 mm of rain since July 16. Despite South Korea’s usual preparedness for monsoon rains in July, the recent downpours have been exceptionally intense, with record-breaking hourly rainfall in some areas. Experts attribute the increasing frequency and severity of such extreme weather events to climate change.
