Five people killed by record snowfall in South Korea

(CLO) South Korea is being hit hard by a second day of heavy snowfall with dozens of flights canceled and at least five people reported dead.

Heavy snowfall blanketed the South Korean capital Seoul for the second consecutive day on November 28. Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province around Seoul recorded more than 40 cm of snowfall.

As of 8 a.m. this morning, Seoul had recorded 28.6 centimeters of snowfall, a rare amount not only for November but also for winter in general. The heaviest snowfall ever recorded based on standard measurements taken at Seoul's weather station was 31 centimeters on March 24, 1922.

Meanwhile, in some areas of Seoul, more than 40 cm of snow fell, forcing the cancellation of more than 140 flights, although weather officials later lifted heavy snowfall warnings in the city's metropolitan area.

Gyeongbok Palace covered in snow, in central Seoul, South Korea, November 27. Photo: Reuters

Earlier on November 27, Seoul saw its heaviest November snowfall since modern weather records began in 1907, with 16.5 centimeters of snow falling. The record coincided with the city's first snowfall of the season.

The Korea Railroad Corporation said some subway lines were experiencing delays as workers cleared snow and tree branches from the tracks. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said more than 11,000 workers and nearly 20,000 pieces of equipment were deployed to clear the snow from the roads.

Yonhap reported that at least five people have died due to snowfall in Gyeonggi Province bordering Seoul since November 27, including four when structures collapsed under the weight of the snow and one in a traffic accident when a bus slid off the road.

Additionally, 11 people were injured on the evening of November 27 in a pile-up involving 53 vehicles on a highway in Wonju City, Gangwon Province.

Seoul's main airport, Incheon, was hit hardest. Passengers faced delays of about two hours on average, while 31% of flights were delayed and 16% were canceled on November 28.

As of noon, about 1,285 schools, including kindergartens, were closed in Gyeonggi Province, authorities said.

The unusually heavy snowfall in November is believed to have been caused by warmer-than-normal temperatures in the western seas of the Korean Peninsula encountering a cold front. North Korea's state television said more than 10 cm of snow fell in some areas between November 26 and 27.

Ngoc Anh (according to Yonhap, Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nam-nguoi-thiet-mang-do-tuyet-roi-day-ky-luc-o-han-quoc-post323313.html