December 26, 2022 11:46
Greenhouses and cattle sheds collapsed under the weight of snow in many parts of the country as Korea experienced a dramatic white Christmas.
Forty centimeters of snow fell in Gwangju over three days, the heaviest since 2008. Though the heavy snow warning has now been lifted, cars and pedestrians will have to stay cautious on icy roads as freezing weather is expected to continue.
About 380 lightweight structures collapsed across the country. North and South Jeolla provinces were hit the hardest, with a whopping 67.7 cm of snow falling in Sunchang-gun, North Jeolla Province on Dec. 21-24.
Some 922 water meters burst in the capital region and North Gyeongsang Province, and the Han River froze over 16 days earlier than usual.
The Korea Meteorological Administration on Sunday said the lowest daily temperatures in Seoul dropped to about -10 degrees Celsius and the mercury has stayed in subzero temperatures since Dec. 14. Last year the Han River did not freeze at all.
The icy weather is expected to continue this week. The KMA predicted that temperatures will fall to -16 to 0 degrees in the morning across the country on Monday and Tuesday, with daytime highs expected between -1 degree and 9 degrees.
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