Seoul’s greatest snowfall in 100 years shut down power, roads, and planes

Seoul, South Korea’s city, got the heaviest snowfall in November, on record, on Wednesday (Nov. 27).  Bad weather slowed down traffic, knocked out power, and canceled hundreds of flights as officials got ready for more snow in the days to come.

Strong winds caused some pedestrians in Seoul to suffer injuries from falling objects from buildings and construction sites, and at least two people died in car accidents on the highways east of the city.

The rain turned into snow overnight as cooler air came in from the northwest. By 3 pm, 18 cm (7.1 inches) of snow had fallen, which was the most since records began being kept in 1907.

The Interior Ministry increased its disaster reaction because up to 5 cm of snow an hour was expected until Thursday morning. They cautioned that the high moisture concentration in the wet snow increased the likelihood of damage to buildings and other items.

Strong winds and bad weather at airports across the country resulted in the cancellation or delay of more than 200 flights, mostly local ones. At least 70 ferries that serve islands also had to stop running.

According to news sources, thousands of homes in several parts of Seoul and the central region lost power because falling trees and snow damaged the power lines. – Reuters