Three killed in heavy rain in South Korea's capital region

The latest torrential rain here in the Greater Seoul area has taken at least three lives.

Lee Seung-jae reports.

Three people died in South Korea's capital area on Wednesday amid heavy rain in the region.

Over in Gimpo, west of Seoul, an elderly man was found dead in the back seat of a car after it plunged into a river.

In Incheon, a man in his 40s was killed when his car skidded off the road and into a lake, while a woman in her 70s died as the car she was in crashed into a traffic light on a slippery road.

The torrential rain triggered heavy rain alerts in Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi-do, Gangwon-do, and Chungcheongnam-do Provinces, as the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters raised its emergency response to level two.

Evacuation orders were also issued for areas near rivers at risk of flooding in Seoul and parts of Gyeonggi-do Province.

The heavy rains also led to train service on the Gyeongui–Jungang Line between Ilsan and Susaek Stations to be temporarily suspended on Wednesday, with delays on other sections.

For safety, trains on the Gyeongui Line between Uijeongbu and Daegok Stations were also halted for the entire day.

The Korea Meteorological Administration says 30 to 50 millimeters of rain per hour could continue through Thursday morning in the central region.

Total rainfall through Thursday is expected to reach 50 to 150 millimeters in the capital area and up to 200 millimeters in Incheon and northern Gyeonggi-do regions.

Gangwon could see as much as 150 millimeters, and parts of Chungcheong up to 100 millimeters.

Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.