Bugaksan, as seen from Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, is covered in snow as Seoul recorded snow of up to 27.8 centimeters, Thursday. (Yonhap)
South Korea was thrown into disarray on Thursday as unusually heavy November snowfall continued for a second day. Treacherous conditions led to widespread transportation delays and caused power outages in parts of Seoul.
Heavy snowfall of over 40 centimeters blanketed the densely populated Greater Seoul area.
Thursday’s snowfall was the third-highest amount ever recorded for Seoul in November, reaching up to 40.2 cm in Gwanak-gu, while Yongin and Gunpo in Gyeonggi Province saw up to 47.5 cm and 43.1 cm of snow, respectively.
The sudden, heavy snow slowed down traffic once again in Seoul, with subway Line No. 1 and the Gyeongui Jungang Line experiencing delays as workers removed snow and fallen branches from their above-ground tracks, according to the Korea Railroad Corporation.
During the morning rush hour, 10 additional trains were put into operation on Line No. 1, the Gyeongui Jungang Line, the Gyeongchun Line and the Gyeonggang Line to ease traffic. Rush hour operations, with trains coming more frequently, were also extended by 30 minutes until 9:30 a.m.
More than 11,000 personnel as well as 20,000 pieces of snow removal equipment were also mobilized Thursday morning to clear the roads, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
Line No. 2’s Gangnam Station is crowded with commuters Thursday morning, as snowfall of up to 27.8 centimeters was recorded in the capital. (Newsis)
Early Thursday, at least 68 homes in Mapo-gu, western Seoul, lost power due to a snow-laden tree that fell onto a utility pole, according to the Korea Electric Power Corporation. Also in Mapo-gu, a tree toppled by heavy snow damaged electrical lines connected to a reservoir, causing water outages at 270 households, according to Seoul Water.
The record-breaking snowfall led to tragic accidents and dangerous road conditions across the region throughout Thursday.
A man in his 60s died from injuries sustained when a tree weighed down by snow fell on him at 5 a.m. as he was clearing snow from a residential area in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. In Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, the canopy of an auto parts factory collapsed on a man in his 70s at around midday. The man was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries during treatment, according to police officials.
Five deaths in Gyeonggi Province were attributed to the last two days of heavy snow, according to police and fire officials.
And 122 residents from 64 households in Gyeonggi Province were also ordered to evacuate to temporary shelters, such as community centers, due to concerns over potential roof collapses. According to the National Fire Agency, authorities conducted a total of 1,280 snow-related emergency operations over the last two days.
The icy roads caused vehicular accidents across the country.
At midnight, an eight-vehicle pileup occurred on the snowy roads of Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, causing minor injuries to two people. On the Seoul-Yangyang Expressway, a four-vehicle pileup occurred at 6:44 a.m. after a car slid and crashed into a dump truck. A woman in her 80s died in one of the crashes, while six others were injured.
A number of schools in Gyeonggi Province also closed or adjusted their school hours on Thursday.
As of 12 p.m., 1,285 schools were closed nationwide while 375 schools changed their hours, according to the Ministry of Education. In the capital, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said three schools had closed as of Thursday, while 27 schools changed their hours.
Students walk to school near Seodaemun-gu, western Seoul, as snowfall of up to 27.8 centimeters was recorded in the capital. (Yonhap)
As of 4 p.m., Thursday, heavy snow advisories -- issued by the KMA when snowfall is expected to reach over 20 centimeters within 24 hours -- were lifted in most parts of the country, excluding the mountainous regions of Jeju Island.
On Thursday, Seoul saw 27.8 cm of snow, while Incheon saw 25.7 cm, the KMA added.
Other parts of Korea saw significant amounts of accumulated snowfall, with Pyeongchang in Gangwon Province recording 30 cm of accumulated snowfall as well as Jinan-gun in North Jeolla Province seeing 24.8 cm of accumulated snow. Mountainous areas of Jeju Island also saw up to 25.4 cm of accumulated snow.
While the cutoff low-pressure system -- which is responsible for the recent heavy snowfall -- is gradually shifting toward the east, cold northwesterly winds are continuing to blow into Korea, according to the KMA. As the cold air passes over the relatively warm waters of the West Sea, rain clouds are still forming in the West and are moving inland.
As a result, intermittent snow or rain is expected across most parts of the country until Friday, with up to 5 cm of snow expected in the greater Seoul region, Gangwon Province and North Gyeongsang Province. Korea will then fall under the influence of a high pressure system from the weekend, resulting in clearer skies and sunny weather.
Snow removal processes are taking place in Gyeongbokgung, central Seoul, Thursday, as snowfall of up to 27.8 centimeters was recorded in the capital. (Yonhap)
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