Five killed as South Korea battles heavy snow; third-heaviest snowfall recorded in Seoul

Seoul, South Korea

As the season of snowfall arrives in South Korea, people woke up to a gleaming white sky, with heavy snowfall for a second day on Thursday (Nov. 28), reportedly killing five people in the cold snap, reported Reuters. 

Four of them died when the structure collapsed under the weight of snow, and one in a traffic accident when a bus skidded on an icy road. 

The snowfall was the third-heaviest in Seoul, since records began in 1907, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing data from the city. 

Also read: Seoul hit by heaviest November snowfall, disrupting flights and commuting

Over 40 cm of snow had piled up in parts of the country's capital by Thursday morning, leading to the cancellation of more than 140 flights. 

However, the weather officials are lifting heavy snow warnings in the city's metropolitan area. 

"It's been snowing a lot today," 73-year-old Lee Sook-ja said, while drinking her soup at Namdaemun market, one of the biggest in Seoul. "It’s freezing and chilly, but having a cup of hot fish cake soup really helps warm me up," she added. 

Watch | South Korea: Heaviest Snowfall In Seoul Since Records Began In 1907

Moreover, 11 were injured on Wednesday evening in a 53-vehicle pile-up on a highway in the central city of Wonju in Gangwon province. 

Seoul's main airport, Incheon, was the worst affected. Passengers were facing delays of about two hours on average, while 31 per of flights were delayed and 16 per cent were cancelled Thursday. 

142 flights were cancelled, and 76 ferry routes were suspended. 

The snowfall impacted a large portion of the country, including the central, eastern, and southwestern regions, where authorities remain on alert as the storm continues.

Meanwhile, neighbouring North Korea has also received more than 10 cm of snow in some areas between Tuesday and Wednesday, state media Korean Central Television reported. 

(With inputs from agencies)