Seoul braces for heavy snow expected through Saturday

Seoul, Dec 20 (IANS) Authorities in Seoul remained on high alert Friday as the greater capital region braces for heavy snowfall expected later in the night and Saturday.

The Seoul metropolitan government announced that approximately 5,300 workers, and 1,116 snow-clearing vehicles and equipment have been mobilized in preparation for the anticipated snowfall of 1 to 5 centimetres, which is expected to continue through early Saturday.

Security cameras installed along the country's western coastal region are being used to monitor snow movement in advance, the city government said.

The authorities emphasised the importance of maintaining a safe distance while driving during snowy conditions and advised pedestrians to exercise caution, Yonhap news agency reported.

Lat month, the heaviest snowfall for November in 117 years blanketed Seoul and the surrounding regions, causing injuries, disrupting traffic and cutting off power supplies.

The new record of 18 cm on November 27 had coincided with the first snow of the season in Seoul.

The previous record was 12.4 cm set on November 28, 1972, the state weather agency said.

The city of Incheon, west of Seoul, also had record snowfall for November of 14.8 cm, beating the previous record of 8 cm set in 1972.

Suwon, south of Seoul, had received 21 cm of snow, the largest ever for any November precipitation, according to the KMA.

In Seoul's Songpa district, three people were injured and taken to nearby hospitals after a snow fence installed near a construction site collapsed due to snow.

More than 170 households had also experienced a blackout in Seoul's Seongbuk district, as trees likely fell on telegraph poles and electric wires under the weight of heavy snow, according to the Korea Electric Power Corp.

Dozens of other households in Eunpyeong-gu also experienced interruptions to power supplies, reported Yonhap news agency.

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