Torrential Rains Devastate Farms: Over 1.7 Million Livestock Lost, Thousands of Hectares Submerged

Relentless rains and destructive landslides have wreaked havoc across South Korea’s agricultural heartlands, killing more than 1.78 million livestock and leaving nearly 30,000 hectares of farmland underwater.

Source: Premium Times Nigeria

Fields that once thrived with rice and vegetables now lie submerged, their crops washed away in the torrent. Livestock barns have turned into waterlogged ruins, with chickens, ducks, quails, cattle, and pigs among the heavy casualties. The storm's wrath has shattered livelihoods and triggered widespread concern among farmers and agricultural authorities.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs released preliminary figures on Wednesday, revealing the scale of the disaster. Among the dead animals are over 1.48 million chickens and more than 150,000 ducks—an especially painful blow to the poultry industry. These numbers, gathered from local government assessments, may still rise as the full extent of the destruction becomes clearer.

Rice paddies bore the brunt of the agricultural flooding, with nearly 25,000 hectares swamped, threatening the upcoming harvest. South Chungcheong Province suffered the heaviest blow, with more than 16,700 hectares submerged, followed by South Jeolla and South Gyeongsang provinces.

As recovery efforts begin, rural communities are grappling with the scale of their losses and the long road ahead. The storm has not only damaged the land but shaken the backbone of food production across the region.