Heavy Rains in North Gyeongsang Force 420 Residents to Evacuate... Roads Washed Away and Crop Damage Reported

Heavy rainfall concentrated in the northern regions of North Gyeongsang Province has caused damage such as the loss of roads and has forced around 100 residents to remain unable to return home.

According to North Gyeongsang Province officials as of 6 p.m. on July 19, 249 households comprising 311 people, who had evacuated during the night due to the heavy rain, have since returned home. However, 72 households totaling 109 people are still unable to return and are staying in community centers or senior centers. Damage from the torrential rain across the province includes the collapse or washout of four roads and four incidents of river overflow or levee destruction.

Housing units in the temporary housing complex for wildfire evacuees in Iljik-myeon, Andong City, Gyeongbuk, were scattered out of their original locations due to soil erosion caused by heavy rain on the 16th. Yonhap News

There has also been significant crop damage. In areas such as Andong, Uiseong, Gimcheon, and Yecheon, a total of 41.6 hectares of crops—including rice, chili peppers, soybeans, and watermelons—have been submerged or buried.

In three temporary housing complexes in Andong and Uiseong, where wildfire victims from last year are still living, 20 temporary housing units were flooded. Eighteen regular households also experienced soil inflow. For 212 households in Andong and Uiseong, water supply was cut off as two main water pipes were destroyed; one of these in Uiseong has now been restored. All power outages that had affected eight locations in Andong and Uiseong have been resolved and electricity supply has resumed.

At present, access is still restricted at 13 locations, including four roads, four submerged bridges, two riversides, two campsites, and one walking trail. Since July 17, the fire authorities have responded to 207 reported incidents—including 20 rescues and 187 safety-related interventions—and have completed all necessary measures.

A landslide advisory is currently in effect for Andong, Yeongju, Uiseong, Yecheon, and Bonghwa. The Korea Forest Service has upgraded the landslide crisis alert for the North Gyeongsang region from "caution" to "warning." Although the heavy rain advisory was lifted at 6 a.m., it was reissued for Uiseong, Andong, and Cheongsong later in the afternoon.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.