Heavy rain advisories issued for Seoul, central, northern regions

SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's weather agency issued heavy rain advisories for Seoul, its surrounding areas and other regions Saturday, putting the country's key disaster management body in an emergency mode.

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said that rains of 30 millimeters to 50 millimeters per hour have hit the affected regions -- many in the central and northern parts of the country -- with strong gusts, thunder and lightning.

The advisories were applied to the capital city, Incheon, and parts of Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Chungcheong and Jeolla Provinces, and the five northwestern islands near the inter-Korean maritime border.

At 10 a.m., the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters went into emergency mode, directing relevant officials to prepare for possible floods in vulnerable spots, such as underground paths and riverside parking lots.

The interior ministry officials called for restrictions on citizens' access to mountain valleys, as well as riverside and coastal areas, to prevent any accidents from torrential rains.

They also asked those who may use temporary shelters after being displaced by floods to keep complying with quarantine rules to prevent COVID-19 contagion.

sshluck@yna.co.kr
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