- 20-something worker killed, 2 injured in landslide hitting apartment complex in Okpo-dong, Geoje
- Record-breaking torrential rains of 805mm in Geoje and 671mm in Tongyeong recorded over the three-day Liberation Day holiday
- Commutes restricted at two major shipyards (Samsung Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean) with some dry docks flooded
- Heavy rain warnings remain across South Gyeongsang Province... Local governments' response limits exposed amid fears of additional damage
During the Liberation Day holiday, record-breaking torrential rains of over 800mm lashed the Geoje area in South Gyeongsang Province, leading to severe casualties including the death of a 20-something young man and the halt of shipyards, which are core national industrial facilities.
According to the South Gyeongsang Fire Headquarters on the 17th, a heavy rain-induced landslide occurred around 4:32 a.m. today in the Okpo-dong area of Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, sending soil and debris crashing into the first floor of a nearby apartment building. In this accident, Mr. A, a man in his 20s residing on a lower floor of the apartment, was buried and transported in a state of cardiac arrest, but was ultimately pronounced dead. Police investigations confirmed that Mr. A was a worker at Samsung Heavy Industries' Geoje Shipyard. In the same accident, two people were injured, including a woman in her 50s who suffered a broken arm. Casualties continued to mount as another person was injured in a landslide around 5 a.m. in Sanyang-eup, Tongyeong.
This tragic event was caused by surprise "water bombs" concentrated on the southern coast of South Gyeongsang Province over the holiday. According to Korea Meteorological Administration statistics, massive amounts of rain poured down from the 15th until 8 a.m. on the 17th: 805.6mm in Geoje and 671.4mm in Tongyeong. Consequently, more than 20 residents in Geoje alone were isolated due to flooded homes and vehicles and had to be rescued in emergencies.
The torrential downpours even paralyzed operations at shipyards, which form the backbone of the local economy. Geoje's two major shipyards, Samsung Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean, completely restricted special-duty workers from commuting to ensure road control and safety. Notably, Samsung Heavy Industries suffered facility damage as well, with some dry docks inside the workplace flooded due to the heavy rain.
Currently, heavy rain warnings and advisories remain in effect for major areas in South Gyeongsang Province including Namhae, Sacheon, Tongyeong, and Geoje. With up to 150mm of additional rain forecasted for some regions, the risk of further landslides and ground subsidence is escalating. Criticism is unavoidable that local governments' pre-evacuation systems to protect residential areas near vulnerable slopes have once again exposed their limitations amid successive extreme weather conditions.