Extreme rainfall on the southern coast of South Korea killed one person and injured four others on July 17, 2024 [1, 2].
The event underscores the increasing volatility of regional weather patterns, where record-breaking precipitation can trigger rapid, lethal landslides in urban and residential areas.
Casualties were concentrated in the cities of Geoje and Tongyeong, with additional damage reports emerging from Ulsan [2]. In the Okpo-dong neighborhood of Geoje, a landslide sent debris crashing into the first floor of an apartment building, resulting in one death and two injuries [3].
Weather stations recorded approximately 900 mm of cumulative rainfall in Geoje [1]. This deluge led to widespread structural damage and flooding across the region. Authorities said total emergency reports reached 2,300 [1], while 119 emergency calls alone exceeded 1,900 [2].
In response to the crisis, the National Fire Agency issued a national fire-mobilization order on the morning of July 17 [3]. This directive deployed about 300 fire-department personnel and approximately 80 units of equipment to the affected areas [2].
Emergency crews conducted around 20 rescue operations, successfully saving 136 people [2]. Despite the scale of the mobilization, officials said the number of casualties did not increase after the morning tally [4].
Forecasters warned that the region remained at risk, with additional rainfall of up to 60 mm expected by the morning of July 18 [1].
“A landslide sent debris crashing into the first floor of an apartment building, resulting in one death and two injuries.”
The mobilization of national fire resources and the record 900 mm rainfall in Geoje highlight a critical vulnerability in the southern coast's infrastructure. The fact that a residential apartment was hit by a landslide suggests that existing zoning or slope-stabilization measures may be insufficient for the intensity of modern 'extreme rain' events.
