Heavy rainfall that began in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area on the 16th continued until the morning of the 18th, resulting in casualties and property damage, including one death due to the collapse of a retaining wall at the Osan overpass. The Seoul Metropolitan Government has issued safety management directives to all departments and agencies and is making every effort to ensure citizen safety, such as strengthening surveillance of underpasses and drainage facilities.

Site of the collapsed reinforced soil retaining wall at the Osan Gajang Intersection Bridge (Provided by Gyeonggi Province) 

The Seoul Metropolitan Government entered a Level 1 emergency duty system at the Disaster Management Headquarters from 7 PM on the 17th, mobilizing a total of 3,465 personnel, including 355 from the city hall and 3,110 from autonomous districts, to minimize flood damage.

To prepare for urban flooding, 185,000 tons of rainwater were stored in 12 locations, including Seoul Grand Park and various lakes and ponds. Inspection of 8,286 storm drains and cleaning of 1,775 have been completed. In particular, 381 personnel and 99 pieces of equipment have been deployed to underpasses and tunnels for real-time monitoring.

Gyeonggi Province is one of the areas that suffered the most damage from this heavy rainfall. From the 16th to 6 AM on the 18th, Pyeongtaek recorded cumulative rainfall of 263.5 mm, with localized downpours of up to 50 mm per hour. Other areas such as Anseong (251.5 mm), Ansan (228.0 mm), Gunpo (213.0 mm), and Gwacheon (204.5 mm) also experienced high rainfall. As a result, landslide advisories and warnings were issued, and a total of 5,674 locations, including river walking paths and shallow bridges, were closed.

Specifically, on the evening of the 16th, a retaining wall of an overpass collapsed at Gajang Intersection in Osan City, causing two vehicles to be buried. One driver died in the accident. The retaining wall was a structure measuring 20 meters in length and 10 meters in height, and the cumulative rainfall at the time was 63 mm. Following the accident, 102 personnel from the fire department, police, and city hall were deployed for rescue operations, and the buried victim was transported to the hospital three hours later.

Gyeonggi Province reported a total of 269 cases of property damage, including landslides, retaining wall collapses, and flooding. A total of 30 people were evacuated urgently due to landslide concerns in the Anseong area (7 households, 10 people), semi-basement flooding in Ansan (4 residents), and retaining wall collapse in Hwaseong (16 residents). Relief supplies were provided to all evacuated residents. Additionally, emergency measures such as releasing water from agricultural reservoirs, inspecting river construction sites, and monitoring underpasses were carried out.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety and Gyeonggi Province have issued 41 emergency text messages, made 1,064 voice notifications, and provided landline and in-person guidance to residents in areas prone to landslides until the heavy rain warning is lifted, restricting access to dangerous areas. The province stated, "We are thoroughly controlling facilities with a high possibility of damage, such as underpasses, campgrounds, and river construction sites, and will continue to implement preemptive evacuation and damage prevention measures in preparation for additional rainfall forecast until the morning of the 20th."

The Seoul Metropolitan Government also stated, "Additional rainfall of 30 to 100 mm is expected until the morning of the day after tomorrow, with concentrated rainfall periods predicted from the morning of the 18th to the afternoon of the 19th. We will strengthen the cleaning of storm drains, maintenance of construction sites, and patrols in vulnerable areas to prevent safety accidents."

This heavy rainfall is developing into a nationwide rainfall pattern, including the southern regions. As of the 17th, the areas with the highest cumulative rainfall nationwide were Naju in Jeonnam (445 mm), Gwangju (442 mm), and Hongseong in Chungnam (437.6 mm).

Authorities are analyzing the characteristics of this rainfall as "sudden, localized, and extremely intense downpours," and there are calls for a comprehensive re-evaluation of the response system in light of this abnormal climate pattern.