Heavy rain hits Seoul area, triggers year’s 1st emergency text alert

Heavier-than-expected rainfall hit the greater Seoul area Friday, prompting the year’s first emergency text alert for heavy rain to be sent via mobile phones to residents in parts of the region.

Residents of Onam-eup in Namyangju, about 25 kilometers east of Seoul, received an emergency text message warning of possible damage from torrential rain at around 4:30 p.m.

The area recorded 74 millimeters of rainfall in just one hour and 118.5 mm over the course of the day, according to weather officials.

The Korea Meteorological Administration issues such alerts when hourly rainfall exceeds 50 mm and three-hour cumulative rainfall tops 90 mm, or when one-hour rainfall alone surpasses 72 mm.

A total of 25 streams in Seoul, including Cheonggye Stream and Anyang Stream, were closed to the public due to torrential downpours, according to Seoul city officials.

Rain also caused traffic congestion on major roads during the evening rush hour.

Weather officials said the heavy rain was likely caused by a mix of cold air lingering in the upper atmosphere over the Seoul area and warm, humid air flowing into the lower atmosphere due to a low-pressure system passing south of the peninsula.

More rain is forecast for much of the country through late Friday.

Showers may persist into early Saturday in central and southern Gangwon Province, and inland areas of Chungcheong, Jeolla and Gyeongsang provinces, as well as on Jeju Island.

sshim@yna.co.kr