A pedestrian walks with an umbrella and a hand fan. [Yonhap]
A pedestrian walks with an umbrella and a hand fan. [Yonhap]

Heavy rainfall is expected to hit Jeju Island during the Liberation Day holiday weekend, offering potential relief from a prolonged drought but also raising concerns about flood damage.

According to the Jeju Regional Office of the Korea Meteorological Administration, 5 to 10 millimeters of rain will fall through late Friday night, mainly over mountainous areas and the northwestern slopes of Hallasan. Rain is then forecast to begin across Jeju Island in the early hours of Saturday and continue through Monday evening.

Particularly intense rainfall is expected between Saturday night and Sunday morning, with 30 to 50 millimeters per hour forecast for mountainous areas and 20 to 30 millimeters per hour for other parts of the island. Strong rain of 20 to 30 millimeters per hour is also forecast for Sunday night.

From Sunday afternoon, gusts are expected to reach around 15 meters per second in some areas and up to 20 meters per second in mountainous zones. Waves at sea are forecast to reach 1.5 to 3 meters, accompanied by strong winds.

The forecast has prompted mixed reactions — hope that the rain will help end the long-running drought, alongside concern over potential damage from the concentrated downpours.

In response to the heavy rain forecast, Jeju Island plans to operate a 24-hour emergency management system throughout the holiday period and activate its disaster safety response headquarters as weather warnings are issued. With large numbers of tourists expected to visit Jeju during the holiday, authorities will step up safety management at coastal areas, beaches and Olle trails.

Inspections and monitoring will also be intensified at sites at risk of casualties — including steep slopes, riverbanks, underground roadways near the airport, flood-prone roads and hazardous coastal zones — with preemptive controls to be put in place if warning signs are detected.

The Korea Meteorological Administration urged the public to take extra care against flooding in low-lying areas, river overflow and fast-moving currents during the holiday, and to remain vigilant about facility management and safety incidents.


klee@heraldcorp.com