More than 2,500 evacuated after heavy rains inundate southern regions

More than 2,500 people were forced to evacuate after heavy rains overnight that pounded the nation's southern regions, authorities said Monday. A total of 2,523 people took refuge across six major southern cities and provinces — Busan, Gwangju, South Chungcheong, South Jeolla, North Gyeongsan and South Gyeongsang — as of 4:30 a.m. Monday due to the downpours, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters. Of those evacuated, 2,498 people have yet to return to their homes. Southern parts of the country were hit hard by heavy rains overnight, with the southwestern county of Muan receiving 289.6 millimeters of rain from midnight Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday. A 60-something man was found dead in a stream in Muan, but authorities said they were figuring out whether the death was related to the torrential rains. The disaster headquarters raised its emergency response operation level by one notch to Level 2 at 6 p.m. Sunday due to the heavy rains. The Korea Meteorological Administration forecast heavy rain nationwide Monday, with downpours set to continue in South GyeongWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times