Geoje city in South Korea experienced disaster-level rainfall totaling more than 900 mm [1] over a two-day period in May 2024.
The extreme weather event highlights the increasing intensity of stationary weather fronts on the Korean peninsula, which can trigger catastrophic flooding in coastal regions.
Reporting for YTN News, weather caster Won Chae-young said the region was hit by a "monster downpour" [1]. The volume of water was concentrated heavily in a single 24-hour window, with 633.2 mm [1] falling in one day. This total marks the third-highest daily rainfall amount ever recorded in the region's history [1].
Local authorities warned that the rain was expected to continue into the following morning, increasing the risk of additional damage to infrastructure, and residential areas. The storm was driven by a severe weather front that stalled over the southern coast of South Gyeongsang Province [2].
While the southern coast faced extreme conditions, other parts of the country experienced milder weather. Seoul recorded a daytime high of 25.9 °C [1] under cloudy skies. Other interior regions of the country were forecast to receive isolated showers of up to 60 mm [1].
Won said the rain in Geoje over the two days was a "disaster-level heavy rain" [2]. The intensity of the precipitation caused significant disruption, as the city struggled to manage the volume of the "water bomb" [2] that struck the area.
“Geoje experienced disaster-level rainfall totaling more than 900 mm over a two-day period.”
The occurrence of a top-three historical rainfall event in Geoje indicates a shift toward more extreme precipitation patterns in South Korea. When stationary fronts stall over coastal geography, the resulting 'water bombs' can overwhelm urban drainage systems designed for historical averages, necessitating a re-evaluation of flood defenses in South Gyeongsang Province.
