·

Historic cold wave and heavy snow hit South Korea

historic-cold-wave-and-heavy-snow-hit-south-korea

A cold snap has gripped South Korea, bringing more than 0.3 m (1 foot) of snow and prompting a cold warning in Seoul for the first time in 57 years on Thursday, January 7, 2021.

Heavy snowfall paralyzed roads in Seoul, leaving residents stranded in an hour.

"The snow suddenly came and hit so fast and hard," resident Dominic Phua told The Strait Times, adding that he saw a biker covered in snow, vehicles skidding, and two buses with a car stuck between them.

More than 0.3 m (1 foot) of snow fell in many areas, including mountainous regions on Jeju.

Cold wave alerts are in place everywhere, with a cold wave warning issued in the capital for the first time in 57 years. It was the first cold wave warning since the country introduced alert systems in 1964.

Subway trains experienced breakdowns, while some doors got stuck in the freezing cold. Prime Minister Chung Sye-Kyun issued an emergency order to speed up snow clearing. More than 8 000 vehicles and some 17 000 personnel were deployed to clear the snow. 

According to the Korea Meteorological Agency (KMA), Seoul plunged to -16.1 °C (3 °F) on Thursday morning, with a wind chill of -25.3 °C (-13.5 °F).

KMA said frigid temperatures were caused by cold air flowing down from Siberia.

Featured image credit: Laila Manack

If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.

Share:


Your support makes a difference

Dear valued reader,

We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.

The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.

If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.

Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum. Other support options include Patreon pledges and sending us a one-off payment using PayPal.

Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Teo Blašković

$5 /month

  • Ad-free account
  • Clean user interface and fast browsing
  • Direct communication with us via chat and email
  • Suggest new features, content and applications
  • Early access to new apps and features

$50 /year

$10 /month

  • Ad-free account
  • Clean user interface and fast browsing
  • Direct communication with us via chat and email
  • Suggest new features, content and applications
  • Early access to new apps and features

$100 /year

$25 /month

  • Ad-free account
  • Clean user interface and fast browsing
  • Direct communication with us via chat and email
  • Suggest new features, content and applications
  • Early access to new apps and features

$200 /year

You can also support us on Patreon

support us on patreon

or by sending us a one-off payment using PayPal:


Commenting rules and guidelines

We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:

  • Treat others with kindness and respect.
  • Stay on topic and contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way.
  • Do not use abusive or hateful language.
  • Do not spam or promote unrelated products or services.
  • Do not post any personal information or content that is illegal, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *