Rain, rain go....oh forget it

Heavy rains have resulted in massive mudslides and floods all over Seoul.  It has essentially rained non-stop (with only one or two days of sunshine) since mid-June.  It would be an understatement to say I am sick of the rain.  Now, it's turned deadly.  People have died from the floods and mudslides, including the wife of the CEO of a major dept store here in Seoul.  We're lucky that we have power still since a lot of people don't.  The sidewalks in front of our place have collapsed in spots and the roads are blocked so we can't go anywhere.  I'm afraid to ride the subway with roads caving in and mountains melting into the roads.  I posted a Chosun Ilbo video of a major mudslide/flood from a mountain in southern Seoul.  Right below, I'm posting a link to a video of our neighborhood subway station as well as other videos, and some photos others have taken of the floods.

Bongcheon Station (5 minutes from our home)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpcY62K8SY8

Sadang Station (5 minutes from our home):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OddF2YtbTxE

Downtown:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydjLV4ckOaw

Shaky video of the inside of subway and Daechi neighborhood in southern Seoul:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpkjceYGnrE

The above and directly below photo is from the Chosun Ilbo's coverage of the floods.  The above is a still of the video in the post below and the shot below is a before and after of Gangnam subway station.

 The shot directly above is of the stairs leading to the National Korean Traditional Music Center (National Gugak Center).  The buildings are in danger of being engulfed by a massive mudslide.  The Center is built on the side of a mountain.  Below, the shot is of the stair corridor leading to the outside Star Theater.  It's become a rushing waterfall.  The entire grounds are completely flooded.  I'm worried about the archives and museum collections in the building to the right.

Below, a larger perspective shot of the Gugakwon--shots of the Gugakwon courtesy of Karam Kim and Jeong-in Lee.

Above (photo: Minjoung Kim), a shot of the Yangjae station area--the road is completely gone and the rain is not stopping. It literally sounds like we're standing beneath the falls at Fall Creek Falls park.  Just relentless.  Below (photo: Mirin Kim), one of my favorite Indie Gugak teams has had their studio flooded.  Their not the only ones, however--tales of flooded studios and broadcasting stations abound.

One of my students, Do Misol, took this photo near Kwanghwamun station in downtown Seoul.  I'm hoping this rain ends soon.  The boys are scheduled to have a pool party tomorrow for their birthday, but I'm thinking it'll just be an inside affair.  Geez...endless rain...