South Korea hit by record snow

Heaviest snowfall in a century has buried cities and prompted rescue operations involving nearly 10,000 soldiers.

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The damage to property is currently estimated to be around $4.3m and that figure is expected to rise sharply [AFP]

Parts of South Korea have been blanketed by their heaviest single-day snowfall since records began in 1911.

The defence ministry announced that nearly 10,000 soldiers were deployed to help clear the snow on Monday and military helicopters had to be called in to help carry food to isolated villages.

The Korea Meteorological Administration reported that as much as a metre of snow fell in some mountainous areas in the northeast of the country on Friday and into Saturday, making many roads impassable.

Travel disruption

Nearly 500 schools were closed following the snowfall, and there was inevitable widespread travel disruption. The snowstorm left hundreds of cars stranded and also damaged farmlands and buildings.

Heavy snow warnings were issued in the south where dozens of greenhouses and farming facilities collapsed under the weight of the snow piled up on their roofs.

The damage to property is currently estimated to be around $4.3m, and that figure is expected to rise sharply.

However some people saw the snow as an unexpected bonus with members of the International Olympic Committee arriving in South Korea for a five-day inspection to assess its suitability for the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Source: Al Jazeera