The price of fruits and vegetables has soared, and South Korea, Japan and India have experienced rare heavy rain rainstorm | South Korea | price
For South Korea, this round of rainstorm test this summer "came a little early".
According to the latest data released by the South Korea Central Disaster Security Countermeasures Department, as of the 18th local time, the continuous rainstorm since the 9th of this month has caused 44 deaths and 6 missing people in South Korea, and 10765 people have been temporarily transferred to take refuge in South Korea, and more than 1000 facilities have been damaged. The number of deceased and missing persons has reached its highest level since 2011.
The South Korean government has raised the previously issued "rainstorm special warning" from the "alert" level to the highest "serious" level. The latest information from the Korean Meteorological Administration shows that from 19th to 20th, a new round of rainstorm will hit the south coast, central and southern regions that have been hit by strong monsoon rains. The severely affected southern Chung Ching region may suffer a second disaster. The maximum rainfall on the South China Sea coast can reach 400mm, the maximum rainfall in southern Chung Ching can reach 300mm, and the maximum rainfall in Jeju Island region can reach 500mm.
According to observations, the rainy season in South Korea may continue until next week. The South Korean Meteorological Agency has warned that the weather conditions pose a "serious" danger.
The Chinese Embassy in South Korea also issued a reminder on the 17th that heavy rainfall may continue in the future. The embassy hereby reminds Chinese citizens in South Korea to closely monitor weather changes, timely check meteorological forecasts and various warning information, and minimize or avoid traveling under adverse weather conditions; Pay attention to travel safety, conduct vehicle inspections before driving, and try to avoid high-risk areas such as riverbanks, low-lying areas prone to flooding, and geological hazard points; Pay attention to residential safety, be familiar with surrounding shelters, and in case of emergency, please take shelter promptly and call for help.
A student studying abroad in Seoul, South Korea, told First Financial that despite the heavy rainfall in South Korea, it is not concentrated in large cities like Seoul, but in areas such as Chungcheongbuk do and Jeollanam do, which are 1-2 hours away from Seoul. "These areas are not big cities, and disaster prevention in rural areas may be lacking compared to cities.".
The "heaviest" rainstorm in 12 years
South Korea is often hit by floods during the summer monsoon. Last summer, South Korea experienced record breaking rainfall and floods, causing over 11 deaths. According to Korean media reports, 912 public facilities and 574 private facilities were damaged during this year's rainstorm; The affected area of crops reached 31064700 hectares, and 644000 livestock died. Rainstorm has also led to road collapse, damage, dam loss, and even triggered landslides.
The heavy rainfall caused a flooding accident in the underground driveway of Wusongyi, North Chungching Road, and became the "worst hit area" of casualties in this round of rainstorm in South Korea. According to South Korean media reports, this underground lane has four round-trip lanes, with a total length of 430 meters and a height of 4.5 meters. This underground lane can usually pass within 30 seconds. During the flood of the river, the lane was flooded to the top in less than 5 minutes. According to South Korean police estimates, a total of 15 cars were submerged in water, and within just 3 minutes, 60000 tons of water were poured into the lane, directly resulting in 14 fatalities.
On July 16th local time, at a meeting of the Central Disaster Safety Strategy Headquarters, South Korean President Yoon Seok yeol accused some areas of failing to advance travel restrictions and control, and emphasized that the primary principle of disaster response is to control high-risk areas and take early avoidance measures.
The infrastructure damaged by rainstorm in South Korea is mainly distributed in South Chung Ching Road, North Chung Ching Road, North Gyeongsang Road and North Jeolla Road. According to statistics from the South Korean side, from 5am on the 9th to the 18th, the cumulative rainfall in Gongzhou City, Chungcheongnam do was 632 millimeters, with 630 millimeters in Qingyang County, Chungcheongnam do, 589.5 millimeters in Sejong City, 553.5 millimeters in Cheongzhou City, Chungcheongbuk do, 537.5 millimeters in Bao'en County, and 537 millimeters in Yishan City, Jeollabuk do.
In August 2022, Seoul was also hit by rainstorm, and underground apartments in low-lying areas were flooded.
In response to the dozens of casualties caused by the flood, Yin Xiyue stated that high-risk areas such as landslides were not properly managed, resulting in heavy casualties. "Since last year, the government has repeatedly emphasized the importance of conducting traffic control and early evacuation in high-risk areas. However, if grassroots organizations do not adhere to the basic principles of disaster prevention, the safety of the people will be difficult to guarantee. Given that this abnormal climate phenomenon has become a norm, prevention should be taken in daily life," he said.
The soaring prices of agricultural products
According to data from the South Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, and Food, heavy rainfall caused crops in South Korea to be flooded and fruit to fall from the 10th to the 17th, with a disaster area of over 27000 hectares, more than six times that of last year. According to data from the South Korean Agricultural Products Circulation Information Network, during heavy rainfall, the wholesale price of spinach per kilogram doubled to 114.05 Korean won, and the prices of other leafy vegetables also increased significantly.
Not only South Korea, but also India has recently experienced rare heavy rainfall and triggered flooding in many areas. On July 14th local time, the water level of the Yamuna River flowing through New Delhi continued to rise and broke historical records. The flooding caused some low-lying areas to be flooded, and hundreds of people had to evacuate urgently. The Indian meteorological department stated that the rainfall in New Delhi during this year's monsoon season is much higher than the average level in previous years.
Due to the recent extreme weather in India, sustained high temperatures and rainfall have seriously affected crop growth, resulting in a decrease in fruit and vegetable production, logistics disruptions, and soaring sales prices of fruits and vegetables. According to data from the Indian Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, tomato prices in India have surged 341% from early 2023 to July 11. However, floods in many major tomato producing areas in India due to heavy rainfall are considered a key factor contributing to the soaring prices.
A week ago, there was also heavy rainfall in the northern region of Kyushu, Japan, and geological disasters such as river flooding and landslides occurred in many areas. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a rainstorm warning for Fukuoka Prefecture and Dafen Prefecture at that time, and the daily rainfall of 8-10 days set a new record. The Japan Meteorological Agency said, "There has never been such rainfall before."
The intense and early rainfall in some areas of the northern hemisphere this summer is actually inseparable from the current situation of accelerated global warming. "As the Earth warms, we are expected to see stronger, more frequent, and more severe rainfall, leading to more severe flooding disasters," said Ulenbrook, Director of Hydrology, Water, and Cryosphere at the World Meteorological Organization. He cited a paper to explain that in the context of climate change, raindrops become larger, small raindrops become fewer, drizzle becomes less, and the frequency of heavy rain increases, resulting in a decrease in the number of rainy days, but once rainfall occurs, it becomes heavy rain.
The World Meteorological Organization also reminds that there are currently 244 typhoons of magnitude 4 to 5 each year; If the temperature increases by 3 degrees Celsius in the future, there will be over 300 typhoons each year, and the intensity will also increase.
Are the Asia Pacific region prepared for the extreme climate of high temperatures and heavy rainfall?
Previously, a survey by the United Nations Economic and Social Council titled "Striving for Time to Achieve Net Zero Emissions: Accelerating Climate Action in Asia and the Pacific" showed that in the past 60 years, the temperature growth rate in the Asia Pacific region has exceeded the global average. "The food system, economy, and society in the Asia Pacific region have been affected and damaged by climate change, and 6 out of the 10 countries most affected by disasters are located in this region.".
The report believes that some countries and regions in the Asia Pacific region lack financial means to adapt to and mitigate climate change, as well as the data needed to provide information for climate action. Therefore, financing and sharing information for climate is an urgent task.
