Seoul floods: Record rain kills at least 9 in South Korea’s capital as buildings inundated and cars inundated

As of Tuesday night, parts of Seoul had seen up to 497 mm (19.6 in) of rain. At one point, the city recorded 141.5 millimeters (5.6 inches) of rain per hour — the highest rate since authorities began keeping records in 1907.

Images from around the city during flash floods on Monday show people wading through roads up to their thighs into the water.

In some parts of Seoul, drains have backed up and sent water to streets and subway stations, according to Seoul Metro. A number of stations were closed due to flooding, with lines temporarily suspended on Monday night.

Pictures after the wreckage showed debris strewn across the streets, shop owners trying to salvage their merchandise, crumbling parts of sidewalks and damaged vehicles swept away by floodwaters.

Several areas south of the Han River were hardest hit, including the wealthy modern Gangnam district, where some buildings and shops were inundated and electricity lost.

He also noted the need to review the country’s disaster management system, as extreme weather is expected to become increasingly common due to the climate crisis.

Several countries in East Asia are now seeing more intense daily rain, as the summer monsoons are expected to get stronger and more unpredictable as the Earth warms, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

More rounds of heavy rain will continue into Thursday morning before ending Thursday afternoon, meteorologists told CNN.

Precipitation in Seoul typically averages 348 mm (13.7 in) in August – the wettest month of the year there. Several locations recorded so much rain in just one day.