South Korea struggles with snowfall for second day

By Alimat Aliyeva

Today, South Korea is experiencing its heaviest snowfall in over a century, now entering its second day. Dozens of flights have been canceled, and ferry services have been suspended, as authorities continue to grapple with the severe weather conditions, Azernews reports.

According to the Yonhap News Agency, this is the strongest snowfall the country has seen in the last 100 years. By 8 a.m., some areas of Seoul had already recorded more than 40 cm of snow, forcing the cancellation of over 200 domestic and international flights.

The unusually heavy snowfall has also caused significant disruptions to the power grid, with more than 330 households losing electricity due to the weight of the snow on power lines and infrastructure.

Scientists attribute the extreme weather to a combination of factors, particularly the warmer-than-usual sea temperatures to the west of the Korean Peninsula. The warm waters have collided with cold air streams, creating the perfect conditions for heavy snowfall.

This sudden and intense storm has prompted authorities to issue weather warnings across the region. Snow removal efforts have been ramped up, with emergency teams working to clear roads and airports. The snowfall is expected to continue through the day, with some regions potentially receiving more than 50 cm of snow.

In neighboring North Korea, more than 10 cm of snow also fell in some areas from Tuesday to Wednesday, according to the state-run Korean Central Television.

While extreme weather events like this are not uncommon in East Asia, the combination of heavy snowfall, power outages, and flight cancellations is testing the region's infrastructure and response capabilities. This storm is a reminder of the growing unpredictability of weather patterns, with experts warning that such severe events may become more frequent due to climate change.