Seoul, South Korea's capital, was covered in a blanket of white on Wednesday as it recorded its heaviest snowfall since records began more than a century ago, the weather agency said.
The Korea Meteorological Administration said 16.5 centimeters of snow had fallen as of 7 a.m. (2200 GMT Tuesday), breaking the previous record of 12.4 cm on Nov. 28, 1972.
Heavy snow alert
A heavy snowfall alert was issued in the afternoon, urging citizens to “refrain from driving vehicles and participating in outdoor activities” and to “be careful of falling trees” due to heavy snowfall. These alerts are issued when snow accumulates to more than 20 cm or more in less than 24 hours. This did not prevent some walkers from going out into the snowy streets of the Korean capital and forming snowballs, like in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Volunteers mobilized to prepare meals for the most deprived during the day. Near the Jogyesa Buddhist temple, a group of locals prepared large quantities of Kimchi, a traditional dish made of lacto-fermented vegetables and chili peppers, outdoors.
Large amounts of snow fell across the country and multiple accidents occurred, with cars sliding on icy roads, although no injuries were reported. Uprooted trees caused power outages, affecting more than 150 homes around Seoul in the morning.
Read also: IN PICTURES. Discover our 10 photos of Côtes-d’Armor under the snow this Thursday morning
Roads blocked
Roads were blocked for maintenance, causing heavy traffic jams, and 22 domestic flights were canceled, while several others were delayed according to the transport ministry.
The snowfall was not only the first of the season, but also the heaviest for a November since the agency set up observation posts across the country in 1907.
