Extreme rainfall caused widespread flooding across Geoje and Tongyeong cities early Monday morning [1].
The sudden deluge disrupted critical transport infrastructure and hampered emergency responses, leaving residents in several districts unable to evacuate or secure their properties.
Rainfall intensity reached more than 100 mm per hour [1], according to reports from YTN. The downpour began impacting the region around 3:50 a.m. on Aug. 17 [1]. The volume of water caused terminals and main roads to submerge, creating significant barriers for transit.
In Geoje-myeon and Ilun-myeon, water entered residential properties. Reporter Oh Seung-hoon said rainwater overflowed into house yards, reaching the height of traditional outdoor platforms [1]. Some reports indicated that the flooding was exacerbated by water pouring down from nearby mountains [1].
Fire services said they had difficulty reaching affected areas because flooded roads blocked access for emergency vehicles [1]. The flooding also extended into Bongpyeong-dong within Tongyeong city [1].
Local authorities have been monitoring the situation as the extreme weather event paralyzed movement in the Gyeongsangnam-do region. The intensity of the rain, exceeding 100 mm per hour, is categorized as an extreme downpour [1].
“Rainfall intensity reached more than 100 mm per hour.”
The intensity of this rainfall event highlights the vulnerability of coastal cities like Geoje and Tongyeong to flash flooding. When precipitation exceeds 100 mm per hour, existing urban drainage systems are often overwhelmed, turning main roads into rivers and isolating residential pockets. The inability of fire services to navigate these roads underscores a critical gap in emergency mobility during extreme weather episodes.
