Seoul : The heaviest snowfall for November in 117 years blanketed Seoul and the surrounding regions Wednesday, causing injuries, disrupting traffic and cutting off power supplies, as authorities are on high alert for more snow later this week.
The capital city had received 18 centimetres of snow, marking the biggest snowfall in November since modern weather observations began in 1907.
The new record coincided with the first snow of the season in Seoul. The previous record was 12.4 cm set on Nov. 28, 1972, the state weather agency said.
The city of Incheon, west of Seoul, also had record snowfall for November of 14.8 cm as of 3 pm, beating the previous record of 8 cm set in 1972.
More than 170 households experienced a blackout in Seoul’s Seongbuk district at 5:30 am, as trees likely fell on telegraph poles and electric wires under the weight of heavy snow, according to the Korea Electric Power Corp.
In Gangwon Province, one died and nine were injured in car crashes due to heavy snow, according to local authorities.
150 flights had been cancelled at airports nationwide due to the snow, including 71 flights at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, according to the Korea Airports Corp. and Incheon International Airport Corp.
The operation of 89 passenger ferries on 70 routes was halted nationwide, and entry to seven national parks, including those in Mount Bukhan and Mount Seorak, was restricted.
